IMMIGRATION AGITATION — The Biden administration’s border policy is under a microscope this week, with Senate Democrats airing frustrations, progressives calling for executive action and the pandemic-era Title 42 policy simmering underneath a slate of key priorities.
The public health order known as Title 42 allows immigration authorities to quickly expel migrants and deny entry to asylum seekers. A federal judge in Louisiana said Monday he would issue a temporary restraining order that would block the Biden administration from ending Title 42 on May 23.
That has triggered a full court press over at the White House to defend the administration’s plan to end the Trump era deportation policy, something that plenty of Democrats in favor of the move have been waiting for, Laura Barrón-López and Sarah Ferris report.
Release valve? But the court decision isn’t going to fully release the immense pressure on the issue. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) signaled that even the court delay won’t fully eliminate the tension between Biden and members of his own party over Title 42.
“I’d like to see a plan from the administration,” Kelly said. “The courts are separate from what we do here. It doesn’t change my requirement that I want to see them have a plan that’s workable.”
Senators in both parties suggested Monday that even with the court delay, a floor vote on the contentious policy could be inevitable. Marianne and Burgess report that Title 42 came up during Monday night’s GOP leadership meeting. Senate chiefs of staff and staff directors will be briefed today by White House Legislative Affairs officials on Title 42.
“We need a vote on that. This is really serious,” said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). “I do believe if we got a clean vote on it, there would be strong support for keeping Title 42.”
Don’t miss Marianne and Burgess on how the Title 42 fight is likely to play out on Capitol Hill.
GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, April 26, where soft serve and froyo are the new networking vehicles (move over, coffee.)
DON YOUNG LIVES ON — Two bills set for expedited action in the House today were sponsored by the late Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), whose legislative agenda is still moving even four weeks after he laid in state. One bill, now named for Young, would require the Health and Human Services Department to convey about 11 acres of land in Tanana, Alaska, to the Tanana Tribal Council, which wants to take over the site of a former Indian Health Service hospital. The other would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to launch a research task force focused on Pacific salmon.
ECA ACTION — The bipartisan gang of senators working to overhaul the 135-year-old Electoral Count Act meets again today to talk about potential changes to the measure that members used to challenge the 2020 election results.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told Burgess that the group already has agreements on the role of the vice president in counting votes, along with the number of lawmakers needed to raise and sustain objections – currently it takes just one senator and House member to object to certification and force a vote, and a majority to sustain those objections. But there’s still much to be discussed.
“There are some Democrats who feel very strongly about going back and revisiting the Voting Rights Act provisions. And my worry is that it will kill the bill,” Collins told Burgess. A Democrat involved in the ECA effort said other significant issues are still under discussion, including the role of the courts in the cases of disputed electors.
OPEN THOSE FILE CABINETS (PRETTY PLEASE) — Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that Joseph C. Picolla will take the helm as the new House Inspector General. He’s worked for the House OIG for 14 years, most recently as deputy inspector general.
Picolla’s internal promotion means any disruption of the status quo is unlikely at an office with a well-earned reputation for opacity. For example, in 2006 the IG’s office went from publishing all reports publicly to purging them from the internet in 2009 and only publishing financial audits. Picolla’s personal stance on making reports public is not yet known.
But, my government transparency nerds, let’s reminisce about a time when the House IG was publishing reports like “How to Improve District Office Transitions” (2005), “Lack Of Sound Personnel Policies And Procedures Could Cost The House Millions” (1995) and “More Effective Contract Administration Needed In House Food Services” (1998). Some issues are truly evergreen, it seems.
The IG reports were juicy evaluations of how the House operates and holds legislative branch agencies and House offices accountable. We’re not quite sure a new era of openness in congressional operations is in the offing here. (Transparency advocates at Demand Progress have cobbled together a spreadsheet of reports that once existed.)
BANK THOSE TWEETS — The team at Insider did a rapidfire roundup of lawmakers on Capitol Hill who own Twitter stock and could — possibly — profit from Elon Musk’s takeover of the platform.
They tallied up five Democrats: Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Reps. John Garamendi of California, Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Susie Lee of Nevada and Dean Phillips of Minnesota. They (or their spouse) all held shares in Twitter at the end of 2020. The Republican list is shorter: Rep. Marie Newman of Illinois and Republican Rep. Pat Fallon of Texas reported buying and selling shares throughout 2021 and 2022.
I scream, you scream… No, not because the House is voting Tuesday to Friday this week, but because the soft serve ice cream we told you about weeks ago is now on tap in Rayburn, near the Subway. The sweet, sweet price is 59 cents per ounce of chocolate, vanilla, or swirl – with toppings.
Tours galore… House chamber tours, including bringing visitors onto the House floor when the House is not in session, return today. At this time, they can only be led by members of congress. “Spouses, former members and Congressional staff are not yet able to lead tours of the chamber” per a memo from Pelosi to House members. Additional guidance: “Members are advised that remarks should be limited to the history of the Chamber and/or operations of Congress.”
QUICK LINKS
Senate report details ‘ongoing mistreatment’ of service members and their families living in privatized military housing, from Jessica Dean at CNN
Manchin Explores Possibility of Energy, Climate Package With GOP, from Ari Natter and Steven T. Dennis at Bloomberg
Rep. Ronny Jackson’s campaign paid for dues at private social club, from Chris Marquette at CQ Roll Call
TRANSITIONS
Kayla Williams is joining Rep. Gregory Meeks’ (D-N.Y.) office as chief of staff. She previously was deputy chief of staff for Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).
TODAY IN CONGRESS
The House convenes at 2 p.m. with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.
The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. and will break midday for caucus lunches.
AROUND THE HILL
10 a.m. Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.) and other lawmakers announce the launch of the Caucus on Black Innovation (House Triangle).
10 a.m. Senate Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2023 budget request for the Justice Department. Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies (Dirksen 192).
10 a.m. Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the fiscal 2023 budget for the Department of State. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies (Dirksen 106).
10 a.m. Senate Homeland Security Investigations Subcommittee hearing on military families in privatized housing (Dirksen 342).
MONDAY’S WINNER: Kevin Diestelow correctly answered that the Library of Congress turned 222 over the weekend.
TODAY’S QUESTION from Kevin: What Kentucky politician threw a perfect game on Father’s Day 1964 for the Philadelphia Phillies in a game against the New York Mets?
The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to [email protected]
GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning.
Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus
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