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Politico
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Dems grapple with Trump resistance dilemma
IN TODAY'S EDITION:— Dems' big decisions ahead on spending, noms— Schumer's new Epstein push— Flood previews policy battles for Main Street Caucus Senate Democrats have a chance to show their voters they can effectively stymie President Donald Trump as Republicans work to advance spending bills and a flurry of nominations. But publicly and behind closed doors, the Democratic Party is grappling with whether to resist or — in Minority Whip Dick Durbin's words — seek a 'quid pro quo,' Jordain Carney reports. Inside Democrats' lunch Wednesday, senators talked through potential September strategies. Among the ideas they are floating is securing policy wins, like preserving soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act tax credits, or getting a commitment from Republicans not to pursue more rescissions. Sen. Cory Booker's fiery protest on Tuesday, urging his party to 'have a backbone' in dealing with Trump, could preview the potential progressive backlash if they cut a deal. Some Democrats, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, are questioning why they should agree to help the administration fast-track filling its ranks at all, though plenty of other Democrats would disagree. The party is pushing back at Trump in smaller ways as it tries to reach consensus. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Homeland Security Democrats invoked a little-known law this week trying to force the release of files related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — an issue Republican leadership has avoided putting on the floor. The immediate stakes of Democrats' strategy are limited to the fate of their August recess for the moment. But how they move now could set the stage for the bigger looming test: averting a Sept. 30 government shutdown. They don't want a repeat of the spring showdown where Schumer infuriated Democratic activists by helping to advance a GOP-written funding bill. 'The Republicans can roll us once, but we sure as hell shouldn't let them roll us a second time,' Warren said in a brief interview. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING. If you have the pack of recalled Celsius, please share. Email us: crazor@ mmccarthy@ and bguggenheim@ Follow our live coverage at WHAT WE'RE WATCHINGWith help from Alec Snyder The House is out. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is holding a news conference with Texas Democrats on Republicans' redistricting efforts in Texas at 11 a.m. The Senate will vote to advance the nomination of Cheryl Mason to be inspector general at the Department of Veterans Affairs and to confirm Tyler Clarkson to be general counsel of the Department of Agriculture at 11 a.m. Lawmakers will vote to confirm Mason, Gadyaces Serralta to be director of the U.S. Marshals Service and Matthew Kozma to be an under secretary for intelligence and analysis at DHS at 2:15 p.m. More votes are expected later in the day. — Senate Armed Services will hold a hearing on nominations, including for Michael Powers to be deputy Defense under secretary/comptroller at 9:15 a.m. — Senate Appropriations will mark up the chamber's fiscal 2026 Defense and Labor-HHS-Education spending bills at 9:30 a.m. — Senate Finance will advance nominations for Jonathan McKernan to be an under secretary of the Treasury for domestic finance and Alex Adams to be an assistant HHS secretary for family support at 9:45 a.m. The committee will hold a hearing on additional nominations at 10 a.m. The rest of the week: The Senate will consider government funding bills and the president's nominations. The House will meet on Friday for a pro forma session at 10 a.m. Pro subscribers receive this newsletter with a full congressional schedule and can browse our comprehensive calendar of markups, hearings and other notable events around Washington. Sign up for a demo. THE LEADERSHIP SUITE GOP leaders back Grassley over blue slips Senate Republican leaders are siding with Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley despite attacks from Trump over his decision to uphold the so-called blue slip process, a practice that allows home state senators to object to some personnel picks in their state. 'I'm happy to hear what Senator Grassley and some of my colleagues say, but no, I don't think there's any strong interest in changing that up here,' Thune told reporters Wednesday. 'We used the blue slip process in South Dakota to get the first Republican judge confirmed in our state since the Reagan administration ... so it's, you know, like I said, it's a process both sides have used.' Thune added that he would see where conversations go with other senators, but he didn't 'sense any rush to change it' and said the Senate is 'making good headway' on confirming judges from Trump's list. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso also said he supported Grassley. Johnson pushes back on stock trading ban discharge Speaker Mike Johnson has been privately pushing back on an effort from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna to force a vote on a bill banning stock trading for members of Congress, three people granted anonymity to discuss the effort tell our Meredith Lee Hill. Luna said on Fox News Wednesday night she's 'taking a lot of heat' and 'a lot of pushback from leadership' for her discharge plan. She did not specifically name Johnson. Meanwhile on the Senate side, Trump is attempting to quash a similar effort from Sen. Josh Hawley, who joined Democrats to help advance a bill banning trading for lawmakers, the president and vice president out of committee on Wednesday. Trump called Hawley a 'second-tier senator' afterward. Hawley brushed off the attack and said he'd be willing to tweak his bill to get the president to sign it. Growing support from Dems for Israel arms sales ban Twelve new Democrats backed an effort from Sen. Bernie Sanders to block the sale of arms to Israel in a late-night vote Wednesday. The procedural vote failed 70-27, but a majority of Democrats opposed an Israeli arms sale for the first time since the Gaza War started nearly two years ago. Schumer voted against blocking the sale. POLICY RUNDOWN MAIN STREET CAUCUS CHAIR PREVIEWS UPCOMING POLICY FIGHTS: Meredith's wide-ranging interview with Rep. Mike Flood, the new chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus, is a must-read to understand the biggest policy battles set to play out later this year. Flood — who recently took over for outgoing chair Dusty Johnson as he prepares to run for South Dakota governor — said among other things that there would be 'severe pushback' if GOP leadership tries to further slash Medicaid in a second budget reconciliation bill. Flood also said the 'overwhelming' majority of his 83-member caucus wants earmarks in any government funding deal in September. Here's what you need to know: — The Main Street Caucus is meeting with the Freedom Caucus once a week to 'understand where everybody's coming from,' per Flood. — Flood has told GOP leadership that earmarks must be included in any government funding bill, and he believes Main Street has an unlikely ally: 'Our members want community project funding ... and the Freedom Caucus agrees with us.' — House Republican committee chairs will likely come forward with a menu of options for a second budget reconciliation bill, with Flood seeing some opportunities in the housing policy space. — Speaker Johnson and Flood haven't yet discussed the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits yet, but Flood acknowledged it's an issue that the GOP will confront after lawmakers deal with government funding. WINKLEVOSS BROS. VS. CFTC NOM: Cryptocurrency billionaires Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss pushed Trump this past weekend to sub out his nominee for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Declan Harty and Sophia Cai scooped. The brothers told Trump that Brian Quintenz, the White House pick to head the CFTC, wouldn't do enough to shake up the agency, which oversees financial derivatives and has expanded its purview over digital assets. The pressure campaign prompted the administration to ask Senate Agriculture to scrap its planned Monday vote to advance Quintenz's nomination — though a White House spokesperson says he remains the nominee. The Winklevosses previously had to pay a $5 million settlement amid charges from the CFTC that their company, Gemini, made misleading statements about a crypto investment product. FACIAL RECOGNITION BILL COULD SOON BE REVIVED: A bill to put guardrails on TSA's facial recognition program will likely be back on the menu soon after it was unexpectedly dropped from the agenda during a Senate Commerce markup Wednesday, according to Democrat Jacky Rosen. 'We expect it to come up on the next markup,' said Rosen, who told Benjamin she's been working with Sen. Jeff Merkley, the chief sponsor of the bill, to make tweaks to the measure to ensure it wouldn't close down PreCheck or make airport lines too long. Rosen noted that the legislation would affect the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, which sees 50 million visitors a year, and needs to be 'thought through a little bit more.' Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz, who had previously expressed confidence in the bill's prospects before his panel, also told Benjamin Wednesday he intends to try again 'at a subsequent markup.' But the legislation has been the subject of intense lobbying by the travel industry, which had been warning in recent days the proposal was in trouble. Best of POLITICO Pro and E&E: THE BEST OF THE REST How Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren agreed on a sweeping housing package, from Liz Goodwin and Rachel Siegel at The Washington Post Tom Cole's Powerful Spot on the Appropriations Committee Is Motivating Him to Stay in Congress, from Em Luetkemeyer at NOTUS CAMPAIGN STOP TEXAS GOP UNVEILS NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP — Texas Republicans have unveiled a new proposed congressional map that would provide their party with five new GOP-leaning districts, Andrew Howard and Liz Crampton report. The redraw would put more Republicans into districts held by Democratic Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez, who both represent Latino-heavy areas of the Rio Grande Valley, and make some Democratic-controlled districts even bluer in an attempt to create GOP-leaning districts elsewhere. Jeffries, meanwhile, was in Texas Wednesday and plans to be there today organizing an on-the-ground response with local legislators and stakeholders. He plans to hold a news conference with Democrats in the Texas House delegation at 11 a.m. As Democrats consider redistricting in bluer states like New York and California, their plans could collide with legal challenges — and in some cases, pose threats to lawmakers' career plans, Jeremy B. White reports. DAVIS TO PASS ON REELECTION — Democratic Rep. Danny Davis, 83, is expected to announce today he won't run for reelection in 2026, according to two people granted anonymity to discuss his plans in advance, Shia Kapos reports. The field is already heating up: State Rep. La Shawn Ford has already announced he's running and is expected to get an endorsement from Davis. Former County Commissioner Richard Boykin, businessperson Jason Friedman and Marine Corps officer-turned-comedian John McCombs are also running. Walter Burnett Jr., who until recently was a Chicago alderman, and state Rep. Kam Buckner are among the other potential candidates expected to enter the race. CODEL CORNER FIGHT ACROSS THE POND — Rep. Jamie Raskin found himself in a scuffle with Nigel Farage, the leader of the United Kingdom's conservative Reform party, during a bipartisan trip to the U.K., Anthony Adragna reports. According to Raskin and three other Democratic lawmakers on the trip, Raskin had started talking about the history of free speech in the U.S. which led to current threats from Trump. That's when they said Farage interrupted him saying, 'We're not here to talk about Donald Trump,' and that Raskin was 'the most pig-headed person he'd ever met.' The top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee clapped back to Farage: 'This is why we had a revolution against you guys.' The trip was organized by Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan for Republicans to push back against the country's new Online Safety Act and free speech concerns in the U.K. HOUSE MEMBERS MEET MILEI — A bipartisan group of seven House members traveled to Argentina to meet President Javier Milei Monday to discuss the country's financial landscape. Led by Financial Services Chair French Hill, the group included GOP Reps. Warren Davidson, María Elvira Salazar, Troy Downing and Tim Moore and Democratic Reps. Don Davis and Janelle Bynum, according to a statement from Hill. The group also met with Minister of Economy Luis Caputo, head of the Argentinian Central Bank Santiago Bausili and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gerardo Werthein. In addition to discussing the relationship between the U.S. and Argentina, the group talked about digital assets' risks and opportunities. TUNNEL TALK ON ONE KNEE IN THE SPEAKER'S BALCONY—Timothy O'Neill, legislative director for Rep. Tom McClintock, and Ashtyn Rouland, comms director for Rep. Chuck Edwards, recently got engaged on the speaker's balcony, per Playbook. The couple met as staffers for Rep. Debbie Lesko. JOB BOARD Alley Adcock is joining the Treasury Department as deputy assistant secretary for legislative affairs, appropriations and management. She most recently was a professional staff member on the House Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee. Emily Flower is joining the Kennedy Center as a director of PR. She was previously comms director for Sen. Roger Marshall. Terrence Clark has joined Amazon's corporate comms team handling crisis, issues and reputation management. He most recently was senior comms adviser and spokesperson for the Justice Department and is a Raphael Warnock alum. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Rep. Joe Wilson … former Rep. Adam Putnam … Nelson Garcia … Todd Novascone of OGR … U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Lexi Branson … Matthew Ballard of Ballard Strategy Group … Micah Spangler … Lauren Allen … Dan McFaul … James Floyd of Durbin's office … Terry Schilling … former Massachusetts Govs. Bill Weld (8-0) and Deval Patrick … Dan Schnur … Alana Peisner of Rep. Mike Levin's office … Joe Novotny of HB Strategies TRIVIA WEDNESDAY'S ANSWER: Brad Fitch correctly answered that upon Theodore Roosevelt's death, the sitting vice president exclaimed, 'Death had to take Roosevelt sleeping, for if he had been awake, there would have been a fight.' TODAY'S QUESTION, from Brad: Who was the first speaker of the House to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@
Politico
a day ago
- Business
- Politico
Coming soon: Fewer cancer research grants
FOLLOW THE MONEY The National Cancer Institute has informed researchers that it's limiting the number of awards it gives out for the remainder of the fiscal year. The agency updated its funding policy, citing the White House's budget cut proposal for next year and a new National Institutes of Health policy, which requires the agency to provide at least half of the remaining funding for research project grants up front. That change 'reduces the number of competing awards NCI can fund in this fiscal year,' NCI said, adding, 'With these considerations, we expect to fund through the 4th percentile.' Before the announcement, the NCI had been funding around the top 7th percentile of new grants, which is already a conservative funding rate. Key context: Typically, NIH research grants are awarded for multiple years and funded incrementally. The change to forward-funding grants, also included in the White House budget proposal, would give grant recipients that money up front. For example, instead of spreading a $1 million award over four annual payments of $250,000, the full amount would now be paid in the first year. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has emerged as the most prominent critic of forward funding in Congress, which she says would result in even deeper cuts to the NIH than the 40 percent cut proposed by the White House. 'It means billions will effectively be put in escrow and won't actually be spent on research for a number of years to come,' Baldwin said during an NIH budget hearing last month. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya defended the White House proposal. 'In the long run, what it does is allow you to spend more money and have more flexibility for new research projects,' he said. What's next: Unless Congress acts, the same policy is expected to continue when the new fiscal year starts on Oct. 1. 'What we're seeing now at NCI is a preview of what could happen next year if NIH continues this policy in FY26, but on an even larger scale,' Erik Fatemi, a principal at lobbying firm Cornerstone Government Affairs and former Democratic staffer on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee with authority over health care spending, told Erin. 'Even if overall funding remains flat, NIH would fund significantly fewer new grants than this year. That means fewer shots on goal, and fewer chances to uncover the next breakthrough for patients.' WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. Authorities are investigating the cases of two women who became critically ill after receiving peptide injections, an alternative therapy promoted by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., at an anti-aging festival, ProPublica reports. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Carmen Paun at cpaun@ Ruth Reader at rreader@ or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@ Want to share a tip securely? Message us on Signal: Dannyn516.70, CarmenP.82, RuthReader.02 or ErinSchumaker.01. THE NEXT CURES The psychedelic drug ibogaine could be a promising treatment for veterans who develop mental health problems following a traumatic brain injury, the findings of a new, small study suggest. The Drug Enforcement Administration classifies ibogaine, a psychedelic drug derived from an African shrub, as a Schedule I drug with no currently acceptable medical use and a high risk of abuse. It can pose heart risks and has been linked to about two dozen deaths in recent decades. Inside the study: Stanford Medicine researchers analyzed brain scans of 30 male veterans who experienced traumatic brain injuries after exposure to blasts or combat, and who had post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorder or alcohol-use disorder. — Study participants received a combination of ibogaine and magnesium, which has heart-protective properties. — Participants had brain scans before treatment, three and a half days afterward and again one month after treatment. — Unlike some trials of psychedelic therapies being studied as mental health treatments, such as MDMA, participants didn't engage in talk therapy during treatment. Results: Participants who saw improvements in executive functioning also tended to show an increase in a brain wave pattern known as theta rhythms on their brain scans. Those with improved PTSD symptoms after treatment tended to have reduced complexity of activity in the brain's cortex. The improvements lasted a month after treatment, which is when the study ended. Researchers suggest that stronger brain waves in the theta region might encourage cognitive flexibility and neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to make new connections. Less complex brain activity might lower the heightened stress response associated with PTSD. If they better understand those patterns, researchers think they might be able identify patients best suited for ibogaine treatment. Even so: The study, published last week in Nature Mental Health, had limitations. In addition to being small, it was observational, meaning it can't determine cause and effect, and open-label without a control group, so participants knew they were getting the treatment. More research, such as a randomized control trial, is needed to confirm the study's results. Big picture: Last month, Texas' Republican governor, Greg Abbott, signed a law to put $50 million into clinical trials of ibogaine as a mental health treatment. Other states are looking to Texas as an example, including Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri and West Virginia, according to W. Bryan Hubbard, who spearheaded the Texas bill and is executive director of the American Ibogaine Initiative.
Politico
a day ago
- Health
- Politico
Top FDA vaccine regulator abruptly exits post
With help from Lauren Gardner Driving the Day A SURPRISE VACANCY — Dr. Vinay Prasad, the FDA's chief vaccine regulator, departed unexpectedly from his position on Tuesday, POLITICO's David Lim reports. His departure follows recent accusations from conservative activist Laura Loomer that he was a progressive and not aligned with President Donald Trump's agenda. It also comes amid a dispute between the FDA and biopharmaceutical company Sarepta Therapeutics centering around Elevidys, a Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment that Prasad had publicly criticized before his government service. 'Dr. Prasad did not want to be a distraction to the great work of the FDA in the Trump administration and has decided to return to California and spend more time with his family,' HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said in a statement. 'We thank him for his service and the many important reforms he was able to achieve in his time at FDA.' While at the agency, Prasad served as FDA Commissioner Marty Makary's right-hand, playing a prominent role in developing the Trump administration's approach to Covid-19 vaccine policy. He was the director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and also worked as the FDA's chief medical and scientific officer. Prasad could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. Endpoints News and STAT previously reported the news of Prasad's departure. Prasad, a frequent guest on Makary's FDA podcast, was scheduled to participate in another round of meetings with pharmaceutical and biotech chief executives in New York, Raleigh and Atlanta in the coming weeks with Makary and top drug regulator George Tidmarsh. WELCOME TO WEDNESDAY PULSE. At least 85 people got sick last year after a pizza restaurant mistakenly used THC-infused oil to prepare dough, according to a recent CDC report. Send your tips, scoops and feedback to khooper@ and sgardner@ and follow along @kelhoops and @sophie_gardnerj. At the Agencies DIRECTING A CHANGING CDC — The Senate voted to confirm Susan Monarez as the next CDC director Tuesday, marking an end to the agency's four-month stint without a director or acting head and setting her up to helm an agency that's undergoing a rapid transformation. Over the past several months, the Trump administration has rapidly changed the CDC, terminating thousands of its employees and upending some of its key functions, like the way the agency recommends vaccines. Here are the biggest challenges Monarez will have to navigate over the coming months. — The impact of the reduction in force: In April, around 2,400 CDC employees were told they would be terminated, including scientists, communications officials and entire offices — though a few hundred of those employees have since been rehired. The administration is refocusing the CDC on infectious disease as it sheds much of its personnel working on chronic disease, occupational safety and health equity. The agency also absorbed some other agencies' work, including the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response. Implementing those changes — many of which are still up in the air — will now fall to Monarez. — Vaccine choices: In June, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. overhauled the CDC's vaccine advisory panel, which votes on the immunizations that should be included in the agency's childhood and adult vaccine schedules. Kennedy fired the panel's 17 members and replaced them with eight new picks, with one withdrawing soon after their appointment. Several of Kennedy's choices have histories in the anti-vaccine movement, and the new panel has indicated it plans to revisit the childhood vaccine schedule. Monarez will likely have to approve any changes made by the committee before they become official policy. It's customary for the CDC director to approve such changes, but Kennedy himself could continue to do so. At her confirmation hearing in June, Monarez said she hasn't seen a causal link between vaccines and autism, though she dodged questions about whether she disagrees with any of Kennedy's moves. — Communication challenges: Over her tenure, Monarez will need to find a way to effectively communicate with various sectors of the public who say they have lost trust in the CDC. That could prove especially challenging, as public health experts question Kennedy's influence over the agency and post-pandemic distrust lingers. And some of the agency's key tools for communicating information to the public have also been impacted over the past few months — including the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the agency's flagship journal. An analysis of the journal's recent publications by MedPage Today found that MMWR has published fewer articles over the past three months compared with the output over the same period in past years. Eye on Insurers A NEW ALZHEIMER'S APPROACH — Nonprofit health insurer EmblemHealth launched a first-of-its-kind lifestyle medicine program Tuesday for patients with early-stage Alzheimer's disease, Kelly reports. The New York-based insurer announced it would cover the program, designed by preventive medicine researcher Dr. Dean Ornish and aimed at enhancing brain health and slowing disease progression through lifestyle modifications. Eligible enrollees who have mild cognitive impairment or early-stage dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease can enroll in the program for free. Why it matters: The new initiative aligns with the Make America Healthy Again agenda that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spearheaded, focusing on targeting the nation's chronic disease crisis through lifestyle habits like healthy eating and regular exercise. It also comes as promising new Alzheimer's drugs have come to the market over the past few years, but some insurers have been reluctant to cover the treatments, given their steep price tag. Background: The program offers biweekly online or in-person classes to provide patients with clinical, emotional and food support, according to a news release from EmblemHealth, which serves more than 2 million people in the New York tristate area and is one of the nation's largest not-for-profit insurers. The services offered include access to 'nutritious, whole food, plant-based meals and snacks' and guidance on preparing the foods at home, getting daily exercise and mitigating stress. On Tuesday, Ornish announced results of a study he conducted on the program, where 26 people participated for 40 weeks and showed 46 percent improvement in 3 in 4 standardized tests — including measures of memory, judgment, problem-solving and in-home functionality. About 38 percent of the participants showed no decline, and 83 percent overall improved or maintained cognition. 'Partnering with a leading insurer such as EmblemHealth provides access to invaluable resources,' said Ornish, founder and president of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, in a news release. 'Bringing this program to seniors through a leading physician group and a mature community support system makes it possible to achieve groundbreaking results.' In the courts ALIGNING BEHIND PLANNED PARENTHOOD — Nearly two dozen Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the GOP megabill's provision blocking Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood affiliates, arguing that lawmakers are trying to force states to violate constitutional protections for free speech, Lauren reports. The suit, filed in federal district court in Massachusetts and led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, echoes the constitutional arguments Planned Parenthood made in its own challenge to the law, for which a federal judge granted an injunction Monday. The states say the statute — and Congress' and the Trump administration's records of disparaging the nonprofit's abortion-rights advocacy — violates the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment's equal-protection guarantees against government retaliation. The states also argue the provision violates the Constitution's prohibition of bills of attainder, a constitutional concept that blocks legislators from singling out entities for punishment without a trial. 'The President and Congress are implementing a cruel, backdoor abortion ban through this provision, putting their political agendas over people's lives,' Bonta said in a statement. State-specific arguments: The Democratic states' lawyers contend that lawmakers 'conscripted' states into unconstitutionally targeting Planned Parenthood clinics. The law also saddles states with determining which entities with operations across state lines would have to be excluded from Medicaid payments, they said. Why now? Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee to the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, granted Planned Parenthood's motion for a preliminary injunction Monday, putting the defunding provision on hold as the case moves through the courts. The states acknowledged that development in their Tuesday statement but said they 'remain committed to ensuring full relief.' Some Planned Parenthood clinics lost their Medicaid funding last week after a temporary restraining order expired on July 21, the same day Talwani granted a partial injunction that applied only to the few affiliates that wouldn't be subjected to the defunding provision because they don't provide abortions. At the White House PATIENT DATA PLEDGES — The White House and CMS are expected to announce today that roughly 60 entities in the health care sector will pledge to make patient data more accessible and speed its delivery among patients, clinicians and payers, according to an HHS employee granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive plans, POLITICO's Ruth Reader reports. The agency hopes the commitments will stoke companies to make it easier for patients to import their data into an app of their choice, where they can manage their day-to-day health and easily share their history with doctors. Pledges, not rules: The Trump administration has sought such commitments to compel the industry to make changes without having to engage in a lengthy rulemaking or guidance process. But the federal government has tried similar tactics in the past. In 2016, the then-secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Sylvia Burwell, under President Barack Obama announced at a health IT conference that dozens of health industry organizations would commit to easing the flow of health information to patients. Nearly 10 years later, those voluntary commitments haven't materialized into better data access. Still, the Trump administration thinks it can appeal to the private sector more effectively. Names in the News Andi Lipstein Fristedt is now executive vice president, chief strategy and policy officer at the Parkinson's Foundation. She previously was deputy director and chief strategy officer at the CDC. WHAT WE'RE READING STAT's Chelsea Cirruzzo reports that HHS is vetting potential new members for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the federal advisory panel that recommends which preventive services insurers must cover.
Politico
2 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
POLITICO Names Noah Baustin as California's Energy and Environment Reporter
POLITICO Press Team Dana Beckman Communcations Specialist, POLITICO dbeckman@ Alisa Vasquez Senior Publicist, POLITICO avasquez@ Hugo Bebbington Communications Manager, POLITICO EU hbebbington@ POLITICO Names Noah Baustin as California's Energy and Environment Reporter Announcement from California Policy Editor Debra Kahn, Senior Policy Editor Joel Rubin and Editorial Director Christopher Cadelago: We're thrilled to announce a new addition to the California team: Noah Baustin, who starts today as an energy and environment reporter. Noah comes to us from the San Francisco Standard, where he covered local government, transportation and public safety, among other areas, as a data reporter on the enterprise desk. He wowed us not only with his series of scoops uncovering municipal corruption — see his stories on a department head who directed city contracts to a man she lived with, bribery at the Department of Public Works , and a classic case of familial ties at the Department of Building Inspection — but also with his intuitive grasp of POLITICO's singular blend of policy, politics and power. We're extremely excited for him to join Alex Nieves and Camille von Kaenel on the climate team, contributing to the California Climate newsletter and helping connect the dots across our Pro and consumer coverage on one of the most dynamic and consequential storylines of our time. Covering the environment and energy beat is something of a coming home for Noah. Before he began his journalism career, he worked on dairy and vegetable farms in his native Massachusetts (he's from western Mass, despite his name) and in New York before working for the Massachusetts Food Policy Council and a nonprofit supporting farms in western Massachusetts. His first journalism gig was writing the agriculture column for his hometown newspaper, the Daily Hampshire Gazette. He's also worked as a producer on American Public Media's farm-focused Field Work podcast; for KQED's California Reporting Project, where he helped build a database of law enforcement internal investigations; and for the New York Times' graphics desk, maintaining a database of information about people accused of crimes during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. When Noah isn't pounding the halls of power or working the phones, he enjoys exploring the East Bay's parks and playing the piano. But he's been taking music lessons for less than a year, so please, no song requests. Please join us in extending Noah a warm welcome.
Politico
3 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Trump confirmations split Senate Dems
IN TODAY'S EDITION:— Dems debate speeding up confirmations ahead of recess— Thune wrangles senators on appropriations— Lobbying shakes up TSA facial recognition bill Senate Majority Leader John Thune is staring down a confirmation backlog of more than 130 nominees — with President Donald Trump pressing hard for progress this week. Democrats could theoretically help expedite a pre-recess flurry of confirmations, but without more details from Republicans, they are so far holding out. 'There are some that are bipartisan — like, Tim Kaine and I have a great Eastern District of Virginia [U.S.] attorney nominee,' Sen. Mark Warner told Calen Monday evening. 'But [Republicans] also should go and release some of the funds that have already been appropriated that they and [Russ] Vought are holding on to. There has to be some exchange.' Sen. Jeanne Shaheen managed to get her own deal during a committee vote last week. The Trump administration committed to distributing $75 million in 'lifesaving' global assistance in exchange for the Foreign Relations ranking member's vote to advance Mike Waltz's UN ambassador nomination. Thune's hoping to strike a deal to fast-track dozens of confirmations through a mix of roll call votes, voice votes and/or unanimous consent requests. But Democrats could force him to file cloture on each nominee, which would in turn force Thune to keep the Senate in session into the weekend — and potentially beyond. Democratic leaders are keeping all options on the table as they await a proposal from Republicans, one person granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations told Mia. Some senators like Brian Schatz and Tammy Baldwin aren't ruling out confirming a tranche of Trump nominees — though they say it depends who they are. Other Democrats are opposed to any dealmaking at all: 'Just to try to help them advance getting more people in office?' Sen. Elizabeth Warren told Mia. 'Why would we do that?' The unspoken truth: Many Democratic senators want to start their summer break just as badly as their Republican colleagues do. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING. Email us at crazor@ and bguggenheim@ Follow our live coverage at WHAT WE'RE WATCHINGWith help from Alec Snyder The House is out for August recess. The Senate will vote to confirm Earl Matthews to be DOD general counsel and to advance the nomination of William Kimmitt to be under secretary of Commerce for International Trade at 11:30 a.m. Lawmakers will vote to confirm Kimmitt and advance the nomination of Susan Monarez to be the CDC director at 2:15 p.m. — Senate Armed Services will hold a closed briefing on the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites at 9:30 a.m. — Senate Foreign Relations will meet on pending nominations, including for John Giordano to be ambassador to Namibia at 10:30 a.m. — Republican and Democratic senators will have separate weekly conference lunches at 12:45 p.m. The rest of the week: The Senate will continue marking up government funding bills and confirming the president's nominations. Pro subscribers receive this newsletter with a full congressional schedule and can browse our comprehensive calendar of markups, hearings and other notable events around Washington. Sign up for a demo. THE LEADERSHIP SUITE Thune wrangles senators on appropriations The wheels could be coming off Thune's plans to assemble an initial 'minibus' of fiscal 2026 spending bills. There are stumbling blocks on both sides of the aisle to quickly packaging together three bills that would collectively fund the departments of Justice, Commerce, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs, as well as the FDA, FBI and military construction projects, and passing them before the Senate leaves until September. Thune acknowledged to Jordain Carney that he is still 'trying to work off some holds' from senators objecting to bundling the various bills. On Monday, Sen. Rand Paul became the latest headache, citing language in the agriculture bill that he said would 'destroy' the hemp industry. 'We told them we'd give consent to get on it, but we want that horrendous language out,' Paul told Jennifer Scholtes. Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen told Jennifer that an unresolved issue over the location of the FBI headquarters is currently preventing the Commerce-Justice-Science bill from being included in the package. Beyond the FBI issue, Democrats still need to iron out among themselves what amendment votes they would want, and Republicans worry that their counterparts haven't fully run the traps on other potential snags. The Justice Department bill could also be a lightning rod for potential amendments related to the Jeffrey Epstein files. To speed up the Senate's funding debate, Thune needs consent from all 100 senators. If that doesn't happen, he said lawmakers could begin with their 'base bill' — the House-passed Military Construction-VA measure — 'and we'll hopefully get on and start having an amendment process on that.' POLICY RUNDOWN LOBBYING SHAKES UP TSA FACIAL RECOGNITION BILL — Industry lobbying is threatening the smooth advancement of a bill that would put guardrails on the Transportation Security Administration's use of facial recognition technology as Senate Commerce prepares to take up the bill Wednesday. It's causing some consternation among Republicans, who had planned for a straightforward markup of the strongly bipartisan bill sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley and several committee Republicans. They're now concerned that a Monday letter from several travel-related trade groups to Commerce Chair Ted Cruz and ranking member Maria Cantwell could gain traction with lawmakers. The letter warns that the bill would increase wait times and weaken aviation security. 'Now that senators are prepared to safeguard Americans' privacy, TSA is getting their industry friends to carry water,' said one senior GOP congressional aide, granted anonymity to speak candidly, of new efforts by the U.S. Travel Association and Airlines for America, among other groups, to block the legislation. The GOP aide added that TSA leadership, including Ha Nguyen McNeill, Trump's pick for acting head of the agency, should have helped put a lid on this lobbying campaign. McNeill is otherwise well-liked by TSA employees and could ultimately be the administration's formal nominee. 'I can't imagine this will bode well,' for McNeill's potential future confirmation chances, the GOP aide said. A TSA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Merkley's bill would require TSA to provide all passengers the option to have their identity verified using a manual process rather than solely by facial recognition. The trades said it would hamper preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics and 'create an overwhelming and chaotic environment at every airport security checkpoint.' ANOTHER BOVE WHISTLEBLOWER — A third whistleblower met with the staff for Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley on Monday to testify against Emil Bove, Trump's contentious nominee for the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, Hailey Fuchs reported. Republicans are expected to confirm Bove this week despite the new allegations but haven't officially locked in a time for the final vote. They're working through a slate of other nominees while keeping an eye on their attendance given the likely tight margin. GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins are expected to vote against Bove's confirmation. A Grassley spokesperson told Hailey that the 11th-hour allegations are 'a bad faith attempt to sink a nominee who's already received committee approval.' APPROPS PACKAGE BARS FUNDS FOR FAA PRIVATIZATION: The Senate Appropriations Committee's new funding bill for the Department of Transportation would bar the FAA from using any funds to spin off or privatize part of its operations, Sam Ogozalek and Oriana Pawlyk report. During his first term, Trump backed a push in Congress to shift the FAA's air traffic control system to a nonprofit body, but that idea was ultimately rejected by both Senate Republicans and Democrats in 2018. The legislation would also block funds from being used to reduce flight deck staffing on commercial passenger jets. Deregulation efforts that could pave the way for single-pilot operations have gained some momentum in the EU. Best of POLITICO Pro and E&E: THE BEST OF THE REST 'More Difficult Than Ever': Inside the Pettiest Fight on Capitol Hill, from Riley Rogerson at NOTUS A Democrat for the Trump era, from Elaine Godfrey at The Atlantic CAMPAIGN STOP DEMS' SENATE MAP IMPROVES — Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's Senate map got a lot better after top 2026 recruit Roy Cooper jumped into the Senate race in North Carolina. The former governor's entry boosts Democrats' chances to flip the seat held by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. The retiring North Carolina senator has said he plans to be involved in helping pick a strong GOP candidate in the race, especially with Cooper's entrance. 'I don't think [Cooper's] invulnerable but he's got a good track record as governor,' Tillis said. 'It's probably a smart call. We just gotta match up and beat him. I don't want this seat to be taken by a Democrat.' Primaries, meanwhile, are heating up on the GOP side. Sen. Lindsey Graham is getting a challenge from Paul Dans, the lead architect of Project 2025. In Georgia, Rep. Mike Collins jumped into the race on Monday to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, joining fellow GOP Rep. Buddy Carter. JOB BOARD Maura Williams is now scheduler for Rep. Dusty Johnson. She most recently was scheduler for Rep. Monica De La Cruz. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Rep. Diana DeGette … former Reps. Jeff Denham and Deborah Pryce … former Sens. Elizabeth Dole and Nancy Kassebaum (93) … NBC's Peter Alexander … Herbie Ziskend … Lise Clavel … POLITICO's Beth Diaz and Kelsey Brugger … CNN's Kristin Fisher … Rick VanMeter … Hilton's Katherine Lugar … Bloomberg's David Westin … AP's Aaron Kessler … Danny Vinik … Washington Lt. Gov. Denny Heck … Yusuf Nekzad of Rep. Nikki Budzinski's office … Sheila Dwyer … Laura Nichols TRIVIA MONDAY'S ANSWER: Jack Howard correctly answered that Franklin Delano Roosevelt claimed tree farmer as his occupation when he voted, even while serving as president. TODAY'S QUESTION, from Mia: Who was the last Democrat to represent North Carolina and in what year did they leave the Senate? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Inside Congress. Send your answers to insidecongress@
