Americans for Prosperity launches ad calling on Congress to scrap border adjustment tax
A new ad from Americans for Prosperity is calling on Congress to ax the border adjustment tax provision included in House leadership tax reform proposals. The organization launched the national, six-figure ad buy Monday. The ad 30-second spots are expected to air on cable news, and encourage the public to call on their lawmakers to scrap the provision. “Imposing a massive 20-percent import tax is the wrong approach. A border adjustment tax would harm hard working families that deserve relief from the tax code, not a new consumer tax that would drive up the cost of everyday items,” said Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, in a statement. “Congress needs to know this is not the change the American people signed up for. We have a significant opportunity to get the tax system working for every American, but we need to move on from this costly and misguided policy.” The ad, according to the organization, is the latest in AFP’s effort to oppose the border adjustment tax, and comes on the heels of a new report, which detailed the impact the tax could have on state’s economies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtuFqpnuFh0&feature=youtu.be
Poll: Most disapprove of Donald Trump, except on economy
Most Americans disapprove of Donald Trump‘s overall performance two months into his presidency. But they’re more upbeat about at least one critical area: his handling of the economy. Nearly 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump’s overall performance, and about the same percentage say the country is headed in the wrong direction, according to a new poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. It was conducted amid the collapse of the GOP’s health care overhaul. But the poll also found a brighter spot for the businessman-politician on the economy, often a major driver of presidential success or failure. There, Americans split about evenly, with 50 percent approving and 48 percent disapproving of Trump’s efforts. “He’s driving the car off the cliff in every other kind of policy and executive action he’s trying to push through, but (not) the economy,” said Ryan Mills, a 27-year-old tobacco company chemist from Greensboro, North Carolina. Overall, just 42 percent of Americans approve and 58 percent disapprove of the job Trump is doing as president. That’s an unusually poor rating by historical standards for a still-young administration. By contrast, at this point in their presidencies, Barack Obama‘s approval rating was above 60 percent in Gallup polling and George W. Bush‘s was above 50 percent. Gallup’s own measure of Trump’s approval has dipped below 40 percent. Trump has suffered defeats in the federal courts, which twice temporarily halted his travel ban on some foreigners, and in Congress, where discord among Republicans has stymied legislation to up-end Obama’s signature health care law. The FBI, along with Congress, is probing Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and any possible coordination with the Trump campaign. The president has responded in public with belligerent tweets often blaming the media, Democrats, conservative Republicans and others. The AP-NORC poll did show Republicans still far more likely to approve than disapprove of Trump, a fifth of GOP respondents said they don’t approve of his performance. Among independents, six in 10 disapprove. Notably, whites — who formed an important chunk of Trump’s political base during the election — divide about evenly on the approval question, 53 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving. But there are signs in the poll that Trump’s base is holding and that people are willing to give him a chance on the still-strong economy. Fifty-eight percent of whites without a college degree — who were especially likely to vote for Trump — approve of the job he’s doing overall. Nearly 20 percent of those who disapprove of Trump’s overall performance still approve of how he’s handling the economy. And most Americans — 56 percent — describe the national economy as good, while 43 percent describe it as poor. About a year ago, in April of 2016, just 42 percent of Americans described the economy as good in another AP-NORC poll. The current majority extends across party lines, with 63 percent of Republicans, 54 percent of independents and 53 percent of Democrats describing the national economy as good. Trump voter Joshlyn Smith, a Riverside County, California, law enforcement officer, said the president needs to move past “the Twitter stuff” that often mires him in social media spats — and focus instead on the nation’s policy. “I feel like I want to give him a fair shot, especially in terms of helping on taxes and the economy,” said Smith, 38. “On a personal level, I think he’s too involved with how he’s portrayed in the media. I want him to have a little bit tougher skin.” The approval ratings of many presidents through history are linked to the economy, with several — including Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama — suffering politically for downturns during their first year in the White House, according to a project by the Miller Center at The University of Virginia. Trump inherited a strong economy, which might be leading people to give him a chance to maintain it, said Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the Miller Center. “It starts with how they’re feeling about their pocketbooks and their family budget,” Perry said. For presidents, “if you can keep the economy going well and having people feel good about (it), good about their lives and therefore good about the country, that can cover a multitude of sins.” The poll, conducted over five days preceding and following last Friday’s collapse of the GOP health care bill, suggests the political damage could be hard for Trump to leave behind even if the economy stays strong. It was a galling setback for the president and the Republicans who control Congress. Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin canceled a House vote that would have spelled defeat for the legislation because too many Republicans opposed it. In other findings: — More than 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of health care, the worst of seven issues tested in the poll. Three in 10 Republicans feel that way, as do 6 in 10 independents and 90 percent of Democrats. — Eighty-six percent call health care a very or extremely important issue to them personally, nearly as many as the 87 percent who say the same about the economy. — Along with health care, majorities of Americans also disapprove of Trump’s handling of foreign policy, immigration, the budget deficit and taxes. Half approve of how he is handling Supreme Court appointments. — Most Americans — 62 percent — say the country is headed in the wrong direction, while just 37 percent say it’s headed in the right direction. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans say the country is headed in the right direction, while just a third of independents and less than a fifth of Democrats say the same. ___ The AP-NORC poll of 1,110 adults was conducted March 23-27 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. Interviews were conducted
Alabama pastor Chris Bell leads opening prayer before U.S. Congress
At the invitation of Congressman Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, Tuesday morning Pastor Chris Bell from 3Circle Church in Fairhope delivered the opening prayer before the U.S. House of Representatives. Members of Congress have the opportunity to invite local faith leaders to deliver the opening prayer each day the House is in session. During his visit to D.C., Pastor Bell, along with his wife Nan, shared breakfast with Byrne, took a tour of the U.S. Capitol, and met House Speaker Paul Ryan. Following the prayer, Byrne spoke about Pastor Bell and the important work his ministry does in Southwest Alabama. Read Byrne’s full remarks below: Mr. Speaker, it is written in Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” As this body debates important issues, it is critical we begin with prayer, and I am honored my constituent, Pastor Chris Bell, was able to lead today’s prayer. Mr. Speaker, Pastor Bell studied theology and communications at the University of Mobile and Luther Rice Seminary, and he has over 20 years of ministry experience. Pastor Bell is currently the lead pastor at 3Circle Church in Southwest Alabama. 3Circle Church has five campuses with weekly attendance reaching over 2,000 people. In addition to their regular services, Pastor Bell and 3Circle Church have a focus on mission and serving others locally, regionally, and all around the world. These missions make a real difference. So, on behalf of Alabama’s First Congressional District, it is an honor to welcome Chris and his wife, Nan, to the People’s House.
Health care overhaul scores early triumph despite opposition
House Republicans scored a pre-dawn triumph Thursday in their effort to scuttle former President Barack Obama‘s health care overhaul, but it masked deeper problems as hospitals, doctors and consumer groups mounted intensifying opposition to the GOP health care drive. After nearly 18 hours of debate and over two dozen party-line votes, Republicans pushed legislation through the Ways and Means Committee abolishing the tax penalty Obama’s statute imposes on people who don’t purchase insurance and reshaping how millions of Americans buy medical care. It was a victory of high symbolism because Obama’s so-called individual mandate is perhaps the part of the statute that Republicans most detest. Even so, the White House and Republican leaders confront a GOP and outside groups badly divided over the party’s high-stakes overhaul crusade. The American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association and AARP, the nation’s largest advocacy group for older people, were arrayed against the measure. Seven years ago their backing was instrumental in enacting Obama’s health care statute, which President Donald Trump and Republicans are intent on erasing. The hospitals — major employers in many districts — wrote lawmakers complaining about the bill’s cuts in Medicaid and other programs and said more uninsured Americans seem likely, adding, “We ask Congress to protect our patients.” Groups representing public, children’s, Catholic and other hospitals also expressed opposition. America’s Health Insurance Plans, representing insurers, praised the legislation’s elimination of health industry taxes but warned that proposed Medicaid changes “could result in unnecessary disruptions in the coverage and care beneficiaries depend on.” The legislation would defang Obama’s requirement that everyone buy insurance by repealing the tax fines imposed on those who don’t. That penalty has been a stick aimed at pressing healthy people to purchase policies. The bill would replace income-based subsidies Obama provided with tax credits based more on age, and insurers would charge higher premiums for customers who drop coverage for over two months. “That’s what this whole bill was about, kicking people who weren’t politically popular,” Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said of Obama’s overhaul. Ways and Means members worked till nearly 4:30 a.m. EST before approving the final batch of tax provisions in a party-line 23-16 vote. The Energy and Commerce Committee panel continued working Thursday morning, tackling a reshaping of Medicaid. Conservative lawmakers and allied outside groups claimed the bill took too timid a whack at Obama’s law. Numerous GOP centrists and governors were antagonistic, worried their states could lose Medicaid payments and face higher costs for hospitals having to treat growing numbers of uninsured people. Top Republicans knew if the upheaval should snowball and crush the legislation it would be a shattering defeat for Trump and the GOP, so leaders hoped approval by both House committees would fuel momentum. In words aimed at recalcitrant colleagues, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters: “This is what good, conservative health care reform looks like. It is bold and it is long overdue, and it is us fulfilling our promises.” The last was a nod to campaign pledges by Trump and many GOP congressional candidates. Ramping up pressure on GOP dissidents, a political group close to House Republican leaders said it is launching a TV ad campaign targeting 30 conservative lawmakers, mostly members of the hard line conservative House Freedom Caucus. The American Action Network said it was spending $500,000 on an ad contrasting the Republican bill with Obama’s law. It ends with the announcer urging viewers to tell their representative “to vote with President Trump.” Outnumbered Democrats used the panels’ meetings for political messaging, futilely offering amendments aimed at preventing the bill from raising deficits, kicking people off coverage or boosting consumers’ out-of-pocket costs. They tried unsuccessfully to insert language pressuring Trump to release his income tax returns, and failed to prevent Republicans from restoring insurance companies’ tax deductions for executive salaries above $500,000 — a break Obama’s law killed. There were signs of growing White House engagement, and perhaps progress. Trump met at the White House late Wednesday with leaders of six conservative groups that have opposed the GOP legislation, and several voiced optimism afterward. “I’m encouraged that the president indicated they’re pushing to make changes in the bill,” said David McIntosh, head of the Club for Growth, though he provided no specifics. The extra billions Washington has sent states to expand the federal-state Medicaid program would begin ending in 2020, and spending on the entire program would be capped at per-patient limits. Around $600 billion in 10-year tax boosts that Obama’s statute imposed on wealthy Americans and others to finance his overhaul would be repealed. Insurers could charge older customers five times more than younger ones instead of the current 3-1 limit, but would still be required to include children up to age 26 in family policies, and they would be barred from imposing annual or lifetime benefit caps. The measure would also repeal taxes Obama’s law imposed on segments of the medical industry to help pay for his statute’s expanded coverage. Democrats said the Republicans would yank health coverage from many of the 20 million Americans who gained it under Obama’s statute, and drive up costs for others because the GOP tax breaks would be skimpier than existing subsidies. And they accused Republicans of hiding bad news by moving ahead without official estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on the bill’s cost to taxpayers and anticipated coverage. “You can expect more town hall meetings you won’t want to go to,” said Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., a reference to liberal activists who hounded Republicans during last month’s recess. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama’s congressional delegation reacts to Donald Trump speech
Donald Trump delivered his first-ever address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night joint where he outlined his priorities for his first year in office. During his prime-time speech, the president touched on a variety of topics, including his hopes to repeal Obamacare, immigration policy, continuing his pledge to fortify the U.S./Mexico border with a wall, strengthening the military and jobs. His speech drew overwhelming praise from the Alabama delegation, with the exception of long Democrat 7th District Rep. Terri Sewell who was “deeply disappointed” in the contents of the speech. Here’s what the delegation had to say: U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby: In tonight’s address, President Trump laid out his vision for the nation and reiterated his commitment to ensuring that the American people have the opportunity to succeed. His remarks were a refreshing change from the last eight years, and I look forward to working with him on the many priorities discussed. In particular, I stand ready to work with the President on overhauling our broken tax code, rolling back burdensome rules and regulations, and getting Washington out of the way so that Americans can get back to work. It’s time for us to deliver on our promises for the American people. U.S. Sen. Luther Strange: It was truly an honor to be part of this historical moment. Like the millions of Americans who voted for real change in Washington, I found it refreshing to hear from a President who is keeping the promises he made to Americans when he ran for office. Just as he said, he is already taking steps to secure our border, repeal Obamacare and rebuild our military. I am even more encouraged after hearing the President share plans to reform our complicated tax code to allow Alabama families to keep more of their hard-earned money, and roll back bureaucratic red tape that is an unnecessary burden to Alabama small businesses. His cabinet nominees show his commitment to protecting our constitutional rights, caring for our Veterans and ensuring a quality education for every child, regardless of their zip code. This is an exciting time in America and I know that Alabamians are optimistic and ready to dream big for the first time, in a long time. It is truly an honor to serve in the Senate and help our President ensure all Americans have the opportunity to make our future a brighter one. Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne: President Trump came before Congress tonight with a clear plan for action on behalf of the American people. From health care to immigration to national defense to infrastructure, the President laid out a clear agenda that will spur economic growth, keep the American people safe, get the government off our backs, and expand opportunity. I stand committed and ready to get to work on enacting these policies. The American people spoke clearly last November when they elected a unified Republican government, and now it is time for action. Alabama 2nd District U.S. Rep. Martha Roby: Tonight President Trump laid out several ways his administration and Congress can work together to rebuild our nation. I am particularly encouraged by his calls to properly fund our military, improve veterans’ health care, and secure our border. These are issues important to the Alabamians I represent, and I look forward to working with the Trump Administration to deliver results. Alabama 3rd District U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers: I was thrilled to hear President Trump lay out his optimistic vision for America’s future. We now have a president that is determined to work on the behalf of the American people first. President Trump’s dedication to enforcing our country’s immigration laws is critical to our safety and economy. For far too long, the executive branch has turned a blind eye to folks who are here in the country illegally and therefore, breaking the law. With Attorney General Sessions, the laws on the books will be enforced and the safety of our communities will be the highest priority. I am extremely grateful for President Trump’s pledge to increase investment in our national defense. To fully rebuild our military from the neglect of the Obama administration will require an extraordinary commitment… Read the rest of Rogers’ statement here. Alabama 4th District U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt: As I expected and hoped for, President Trump gave a message to Congress that he is committed to making sure Washington is no longer ‘business as usual.’ After eight years of a White House that took a passive, apologetic approach to America and the world, we finally have a President who has announced America is back and literally wants it to be great again. President Trump’s plan to strengthen our military is greatly needed. If we are to win the war against ISIS, contain China, and keep a watchful eye on Russia, the size and capability of our armed forces needs to increase. I am also glad to hear that the President will put forth a plan to rein in the Federal bureaucracy. For example, the EPA has run amok with a busy-body attitude with farmers that literally tried to regulate mud puddles on their farms, not to mention the ‘War on Coal.’ However, President Trump has now passed the baton to Congress. It is now up to us. We must get to work to accomplish the mandate voters sent in November or Congress will face the people’s wrath next year. Alabama 5th District U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks: I enjoyed the optimistic tone of President Trump’s speech this evening and his message of unity and strength across America. I was pleased the President tonight addressed restarting the engine of the American economy and removing burdensome regulations that have made it so difficult to start and grow a business in America. President Trump has already taken strong steps to secure the border and enforce our nation’s immigration laws, and I applaud his continued commitment to the rule of law and national security. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to support President Trump’s bold
Health care, Supreme Court on agenda as Congress returns
Congress returns to Washington this week to confront dramatic decisions on health care and the Supreme Court that may help determine the course of Donald Trump‘s presidency. First, the president will have his say, in his maiden speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night. Majority Republicans in the House and Senate will be closely watching the prime-time address for guidance, marching orders or any specifics Trump might embrace on health care or taxes, areas where some of his preferences remain a mystery. Congressional Republicans insist they are working closely with the new administration as they prepare to start taking votes on health legislation, with the moment finally upon them to make good on seven years of promises to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama‘s Affordable Care Act. House Republicans hope to pass their legislation by early April and send it to the Senate, with action there also possible before Easter. Republicans will be “keeping our promise to the American people,” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said as he sent lawmakers home for the Presidents Day recess armed with informational packets to defend planned GOP changes to the health law. But land mines await. The recess was dominated by raucous town halls where Republicans faced tough questions about their plans to replace the far-reaching health care law with a new system built around tax credits, health savings accounts and high risk pools. Important questions are unanswered, such as the overall cost and how many people will be covered. There’s also uncertainty about how to resolve divisions among states over Medicaid money. The lack of clarity created anxiety among voters who peppered lawmakers from coast to coast with questions about what would become of their own health coverage and that of their friends and family. It has forced Republicans to offer assurances that they don’t intend to take away the law and leave nothing in its place, even though some House conservatives favor doing just that. “What I have said is repeal and replace and more recently I have defined that as repairing the ACA moving forward,” Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J., insisted to an overflow crowd in his politically divided district this past week. “I think we have a responsibility in Washington to try to make the system better.” It remains to be seen whether the release of detailed legislation in the coming days will calm, or heighten, voters’ concerns. Details on the size of tax credits to help people buy insurance, and how many fewer people will be covered than the 20 million who gained coverage under Obama’s law, could create bigger pushback and even more complications. With lawmakers set to return to the Capitol on Monday, it will become clearer whether the earful many got back home will affect their plans. GOP leaders are determined to move forward, reckoning that when confronted with the reality of voting on the party’s repeal and replace plan, Republicans will have no choice but to vote “yes.” Many Republicans say that how they will handle health legislation will set the stage for the next big battle, over taxes. And that fight, many believe, will be even trickier than health care. Already, it has opened major rifts between House and Senate Republicans. Senators also will be weighing the nomination of federal appeals Judge Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s pick for the Supreme Court. Hearings soon will get underway in the Senate Judiciary Committee; floor action is expected before Easter. Despite Gorsuch’s sterling credentials, Democrats are under pressure from their liberal supporters to oppose him, given voters’ disdain for Trump and the GOP’s refusal last year to allow even a hearing for Obama’s nominee for the high court vacancy, federal appeals Judge Merrick Garland. Yet some Democrats are already predicting that one way or another, Gorsuch will be confirmed. Even if he doesn’t pick up the 60 votes he needs, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., could use a procedural gambit to eliminate Democrats’ ability to filibuster Gorsuch, an outcome that Trump has endorsed. Congress is awaiting a budget from the Trump administration, and the slow process of rounding out Trump’s Cabinet will move forward as Republicans tee up more nominees over Democratic protests. The Senate has confirmed 14 Cabinet and Cabinet-level officials, fewer than other presidents at this point. The most controversial nominees, including Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt, have been confirmed. Next up: financier Wilbur Ross for commerce secretary, Rep. Ryan Zinke to lead the Interior Department, retired neurosurgeon and 2016 GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson to be housing secretary and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry at the Energy Department. How Democrats vote will be telling, given the extreme pressures on them to oppose Trump at every turn. It’s a dynamic to which those with potential presidential ambitions are particularly sensitive. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, among others, took heat for voting in favor of Carson in committee, while Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has opposed nearly all the nominees. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
In Donald Trump’s future looms a familiar shutdown threat
Add a potential government shutdown to President Donald Trump‘s growing roster of headaches. Beneath the capital’s radar looms a vexing problem — a catchall spending package that’s likely to top $1 trillion and could get embroiled in the politics of building Trump’s wall at the U.S.-Mexico border and a budget-busting Pentagon request. While a shutdown deadline has a few weeks to go, the huge measure looms as an unpleasant reality check for Trump and Republicans controlling Congress. Despite the big power shift in Washington, the path to success — and averting a shuttering of the government — goes directly through Senate Democrats, whose votes are required to pass the measure. And any measure that satisfies Democrats and their new leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, is sure to alienate tea party Republicans. Trump’s determination to build his wall on the U.S.-Mexico border faces a fight with Democrats, too. For now, the new Democratic leader is cautious. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens,” Schumer said. “I hope they won’t jam up the supplemental (spending bill) with poison pills.” At issue is the annual must-do legislation funding government agencies and departments. The path for the huge spending measure — by Republicans’ own choice a piece of leftover business from last year — would be difficult and complicated in a smoothly running Washington. But partisanship has engulfed the city, and the upcoming measure is made even more challenging once upcoming Trump requests for $18 billion or more for the Pentagon and money for his contentious border wall are added to the mix. For years, Republicans needed President Barack Obama‘s signoff and relied on Democratic votes to pass the measures and balance out opposition from tea partyers. Trump’s election has shifted the balance of power in Washington, but the GOP’s grip on the Senate — where 60 votes are needed for most legislation — is actually weaker. Some House conservatives are demanding a round of budget cuts to “offset” new spending on the Pentagon and Trump’s wall. “If all of a sudden we’re not worried about pay-fors for our spending, then we have been hypocrites,” said tea party Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho. “I’m not going to vote for anything that just increases spending without looking for a way to pay for that in the future.” That’s far easier said than done, especially with the budget year nearly half over. Democrats might accept the Pentagon funding — aimed at reversing what Pentagon hawks see as a slide in the military’s ability to prepare against new threats — even though it would unravel a hard-won 2015 budget pact. But they won’t stand for cuts to domestic programs to pay for it, and neither will more pragmatic Republicans. “I don’t think we’d be able to jam anything through that didn’t have some significant buy-in by Democrats,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said. Lawmakers face an April 28 deadline, which seems like plenty of time. The administration, however, is off to a slow start, just last Wednesday winning Senate confirmation of its budget director, Mick Mulvaney, who has his hands full with Trump’s broader budget submission for the upcoming year as well as plans for the supplemental Pentagon spending or the border wall It’s all complicated by the tumult surrounding Trump’s presidency, including his low approval ratings and vehement opposition from rank-and-file Democrats still stinging from Trump’s upset victory and his provocative travel ban. GOP leaders like House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin are eager to avert any shutdown. The most recent one, caused by House Republicans, came as tea party lawmakers insisted on a failed strategy of using shutdown threats as leverage to try to block implementation of Obama’s health care law. An end-of-April shutdown still seems unlikely. Neither Republicans nor Democrats want that. But a stumble is possible if Senate Democrats filibuster the measure over budget additions like the border wall with Mexico. And in the House, dysfunction is always possible, especially if conservatives shun the measure as they have with previous bipartisan versions of spending bills. That led top leaders like then-Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, to turn to House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, hat in hand, to get enough votes. Now, with Trump in the White House, House Democrats can’t be counted upon to help. “If they need Democratic votes, because some of their people will vote for nothing, as you well know, then we’ll have to talk,” Pelosi said. “But I fear that if they don’t need Democratic votes, the product would be something very horrible for the American people.” And there’s still the Senate, where Republicans hold a 52-48 edge, short of filibuster-proof 60. “So it doesn’t mean just because (Republicans) have a majority in the House, a majority in the Senate and now the White House that we can do anything we want,” Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, said. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Donald Trump marks his first month with tweets, turmoil
One month after the inauguration, the stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of Donald Trump‘s White House still is a hard-hat zone. Skeletal remains of the inaugural reviewing stands poke skyward. Random piles of plywood and cables are heaped on the ground inside crooked lines of metal fencing. The disarray outside the president’s front door, though not his fault, serves as a metaphor for the tumult still unfolding inside. Four weeks in, the man who says he inherited “a mess” at home and abroad is presiding over a White House that is widely described as itself being a mess. At a stunning pace, Trump has riled world leaders and frustrated allies. He was dealt a bruising legal blow on one of his signature policies. He lost his national security adviser and his pick for labor secretary to scandal. He’s seen forces within his government push back against his policies and leak confidential information. All of this has played out amid a steady drip of revelations about an FBI investigation into his campaign’s contacts with Russian intelligence officials. Trump says his administration is running like a “fine-tuned machine.” He points to the rising stock market and the devotion of his still-loyal supporters as evidence that all is well, although his job approval rating is much lower than that for prior presidents in their first weeks in office. Stung by the unrelenting criticism coming his way, Trump dismisses much of it as “fake news” delivered by “the enemy of the people” — aka the press. Daily denunciations of the media are just one of the new White House fixtures Americans are adjusting to. Most days start (and end) with presidential tweets riffing off of whatever’s on TV talk shows or teasing coming events or hurling insults at the media. At some point in the day, count on Trump to cast back to the marvels of his upset of Democrat Hillary Clinton in the November election and quite possibly overstate his margins of support. Expect more denunciations of the “dishonest” press and its “fake news.” From there, things can veer in unexpected directions as Trump offers up policy pronouncements or offhand remarks that leave even White House aides struggling to interpret them. The long-standing U.S. policy of seeking a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Trump this past week offered this cryptic pronouncement: “I’m looking at two-state and one-state, and I like the one that both parties like. I can live with either one.” His U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, the next day insisted, “We absolutely support a two-state solution.” Trump’s days are busy. Outside groups troop in for “listening sessions.” Foreign leaders call or come to visit. (Or, in the case of Mexico’s president, cancel out in pique over Trump’s talk about the planned border wall.) After the president signed two dozen executive actions, the White House was awaiting a rush order of more of the gold-plated Cross pens that Trump prefers to the chrome-plated ones used by his predecessor. Trump hands them out as souvenirs at the signing ceremonies that he points to as evidence of his ambitious pace. “This last month has represented an unprecedented degree of action on behalf of the great citizens of our country,” Trump said at a Thursday news conference. “Again, I say it. There has never been a presidency that’s done so much in such a short period of time.” That’s all music to the ears of his followers, who sent him to Washington to upend the established order and play the role of disrupter. “I can’t believe there’s actually a politician doing what he says he would do,” says an approving Scott Hiltgen, a 66-year-old office furniture sales broker from River Falls, Wisconsin. “That never happens.” Disrupt Trump has. But there may be more sound and fury than substance to many of his early actions. Trump did select Judge Neil Gorsuch to replace the late Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court, a nomination that has drawn strong reviews from conservatives. But the president is regrouping on immigration after federal judges blocked his order to suspend the United States’ refugee program and ban visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries, which had caused chaos for travelers around the globe. Some other orders on issues such as the U.S.-Mexico border wall and former President Barack Obama’s health care law are of limited effect. Trump says his early actions show he means to deliver on the promises he made during the campaign. “A lot of people say, ‘Oh, oh, Trump was only kidding with the wall,’” the president told a group of police chiefs recently. “I wasn’t kidding. I don’t kid.” But the Republican-led Congress is still waiting to see specifics on how Trump wants to proceed legislatively on top initiatives such as replacing the health care law, enacting tax cuts and revising trade deals. The messy rollout of the travel ban and tumult over the ouster of national security adviser Michael Flynn for misrepresenting his contacts with Russia are part of a broader state of disarray as different figures in Trump’s White House jockey for power and leaks reveal internal discord in the machinations of the presidency. “I thought by now you’d at least hear the outlines of domestic legislation like tax cuts,” says Princeton historian Julian Zelizer. “But a lot of that has slowed. Trump shouldn’t mistake the fact that some of his supporters like his style with the fact that a lot of Republicans just want the policies he promised them. He has to deliver that.” Put Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in the camp of those more interested in substance than style. “I’m not a great fan of daily tweets,” McConnell said Friday, referring to the “extra discussion” that Trump likes to engage in. But McConnell was quick to add: “What I am a fan of is what he’s been actually doing.” He credits Trump with assembling a conservative Cabinet and taking steps to reduce government regulation, and promised: “We like his positions and
Congress to grill Fed Chair amid uncertainty over Donald Trump’s plans
Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen faces two tasks when she delivers her semiannual testimony to Congress starting Tuesday: As always, she’ll sketch a picture of how she expects the economy to fare in coming months and how the Fed’s interest rate policy may unfold. But lawmakers are sure to press her also to spell out how the Fed might react to the ambitious economic program President Donald Trump is preparing to unveil soon. The proposals are expected to include deep tax cuts, stimulus spending, trade actions and deregulation. Investors will be eager to hear whatever Yellen says about them — or doesn’t say. Analysts caution, though, that Yellen may remain mum in her assessment of the possible consequences of Trump’s plans given that the details remain mostly unknown. Equally unclear is how much of the program will survive through Congress. “A lot of what the Federal Reserve will do this year will depend on what President Trump and Congress do, and at the moment we have no idea what will emerge from Congress,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. “Until there is some clarity about what President Trump and Congress have in mind, I think the Fed is going to be cautious.” In December, the Fed modestly raised its benchmark short-term rate to a range of 0.5 percent to 0.75 percent, its first increase since December 2015. Until then, the Fed had left its key rate unchanged at a record low near zero for seven years to energize an economy pummeled by the most severe recession in decades. In December, the Fed also forecast that it would raise rates three times in 2017. After it met again early this month, the Fed issued a statement that noted improved sentiment among consumers and businesses. And the Fed said it had become more confident that inflation will reach its 2 percent target. But it offered no hints about when it would resume raising rates. Many economists caution that the pace of rate increases could change quickly depending on how much success Trump has in getting his economic initiatives enacted. The president is expected to formally present his program in the coming weeks, offering tax cuts for individuals and businesses and increased spending on infrastructure projects and a rollback of government regulations. Trump has said his goal is to double economic growth, as measured by the gross domestic product, from the lackluster 2 percent annual rate that’s prevailed since the Great Recession ended in 2009 to a robust 4 percent rate or better. Comments he made late last week reiterating his commitment to major tax relief helped drive up stock indexes to fresh record highs. But Fed officials could grow concerned that a big stimulus package at this stage of the recovery, with job growth solid and unemployment below 5 percent, might overheat the economy and trigger unwanted inflation pressures. If that were to happen, the central bank could decide to accelerate its rate hikes. “The Fed has been pretty consistent that it wants the rate hikes to come at a gradual pace, but that could change if Fed officials believe the budget-and-tax package that Trump is pushing is too big and coming too late in the economic cycle, with the economy already at full employment,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at DS Economics. Swonk said she thinks Yellen will avoid responding directly to questions from Congress this week about Trump’s economic proposals until more is known about them. “She is going to want to fly under the radar as much as possible this week,” Swonk said. Yellen will likely also face questions about a key Republican priority: To undo much of the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory law, which was intended to curb the kind of excessive risk taking in the banking system that fueled the 2008 financial crisis. Yellen has been a staunch defender of the law. But Trump and his allies argue that the law has imposed too many constraints on banks, thereby slowing lending and economic growth. Beyond Dodd-Frank, Yellen could be pressed about Republican efforts to diminish the Fed’s independence, in part by subjecting it to more intensive audits. With a Republican in the White House, those efforts now stand a greater chance of success. Trump now also has the opportunity to fill three vacancies on the Fed’s seven-member policymaking board after Daniel Tarullo, a board member who was guiding the Fed’s regulatory efforts, announced Friday that he would resign this spring. With Tarullo’s exit and the selection of a successor, Trump and likeminded Republicans in Congress could be able to soften the Fed’s approach to regulation. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Congress scraps Barack Obama rules on coal mining, guns
The Republican-controlled Congress on Thursday scrapped Obama-era rules on the environment and guns, counting on a new ally in the White House to help reverse years of what the GOP calls excessive regulation. The Senate gave final approval to a measure eliminating a rule to prevent coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby streams, while the House backed a separate resolution doing away with extended background checks for gun purchases by some Social Security recipients with mental disabilities. The Senate’s 54-45 vote sends the repeal of the stream protection rule to President Donald Trump. The gun measure awaits Senate action. The White House said Thursday night that Trump supports both measures and is likely to sign them. Republicans and some Democrats say the coal-mining rule could eliminate thousands of coal-related jobs and ignores dozens of federal, state and local regulations already in place. The Interior Department, which announced the rule in December, said that it would protect 6,000 miles of streams and 52,000 acres of forests, preventing coal mining debris from being dumped into nearby waters. The vote was the first in a series of actions Republicans are expected to take in coming weeks to reverse years of what they call excessive regulation during President Barack Obama‘s tenure. Rules on fracking, federal contracting and other issues also are in the cross-hairs as the GOP moves to void a host of regulations finalized during Obama’s last months in office. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called the stream rule “an attack against coal miners and their families” and said it would have threatened coal jobs and caused major damage to communities in Kentucky and other coal-producing states. “The legislation we passed today will help stop this disastrous rule and bring relief to coal miners and their families,” McConnell said. Democrats called the vote an attack on clean water and a clear win for big coal-mining companies and other polluters. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said the stream rule had nothing to do with the decline of coal, which faces stiff competition from cheap natural gas. “This rule was not in place” when coal production began declining in the past half-dozen years, Cantwell said. In the House, the issue was an Obama rule extending background checks for disabled Social Security recipients mentally incapable of managing their own affairs. The House voted 235-180 to scuttle it. Under the rule, the Social Security Administration had to provide information to the gun-buying background check system on recipients with a mental disorder so severe they cannot work and need someone to handle their benefits. The rule, also finalized in December, would have affected an estimated 75,000 beneficiaries. “There is no evidence suggesting that those receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration are a threat to public safety,” said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. “Once an unelected bureaucrat unfairly adds these folks to the federal background check system, they are no longer able to exercise their Second Amendment right,” he said. After the 2012 school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, Obama directed the Justice Department to provide guidance to agencies regarding information they are obligated to report to the background check system. In Newtown, 20 children and six educators were shot to death when a gunman entered the Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. The gunman had earlier killed his mother inside their home, and he used a gun and ammunition that she had purchased. His mental health problems have been extensively reported since the shooting. Democrats said Republicans were doing the bidding of the National Rifle Association, which opposed the Social Security Administration’s rule. “These are not people just having a bad day,” Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., said. “These are not people simply suffering from depression or anxiety or agoraphobia. These are people with a severe mental illness who can’t hold any kind of job or make any decisions about their affairs, so the law says very clearly they shouldn’t have a firearm.” The NRA said overturning the regulation will protect a broad class of vulnerable citizens from government overreach. And the American Civil Liberties Union agreed, telling lawmakers that a disability should not constitute grounds for the automatic denial of any right or privilege, including gun ownership. Republicans are employing a rarely used tool to roll back some of the rules issued in the final months of Obama’s tenure. The Congressional Review Act provides a temporary window for a simple majority of both chambers to invalidate a rule. The president has to sign the disapproval measure for the regulation to be deemed invalid. The law also prevents the executive branch from imposing substantially similar regulations in the future. On the coal mining vote, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was the sole Republican to oppose the repeal measure, which was supported by four Democrats: Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Claire McCaskill of Missouri. All four face re-election next year in states Trump won. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
The week ahead for the U.S. House and Senate: Jan. 23-27, 2017
In the wake of Donald Trump‘s inauguration as the 45th President of the United States last Friday, both chambers are poised to respond to his first week decisions as they roll out of the Oval Office. U.S. House of Representatives Following a recess last week, the U.S. House of Representatives will resume legislative business on Monday and consider 11 several bills under Suspension of the Rules, including: H.R. 511 – Power And Security Systems (PASS) Act H.R. 587 – Fair RATES Act H.R. 590 – Advanced Nuclear Technology Development Act of 2017 H.R. 518 – EPS Improvement Act of 2017 H.R. 290 – Federal Communications Commission Process Reform Act of 2017 H.R. 423 – Anti-Spoofing Act of 2017 H.R. 588 – Securing Access to Networks in Disaster Act H.R. 555 – Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2017 H.R. 460 – Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act of 2017 H.R. ___ – Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act of 2017 H.R. 582 – Kari’s Law Act of 2017 On Tuesday, the House will consider H.R. 7: the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2017. An identical bill passed the House in the last Congress. The bill would broaden the existing language of the Hyde Amendment, banning the use of any federal funds to pay for abortions. Alabama co-sponsor(s): Rep. Mike Rogers (AL-03); Rep. Robert Aderholt (AL-04) The House is not scheduled to be in session for the remainder of the week, due to the annual Republican congressional retreat in Philadelphia, Penn. T U.S. Senate The U.S. Senate will primarily continue consideration of Trump’s Cabinet picks. Committee Schedule Monday, January 23, 2017 Senate Committees Secretary of State Nomination Senate Foreign Relations Full Committee Markup 4:30 p.m., SD-419 Tuesday, January 24, 2017 House Committees Committee Organization House Appropriations Full Committee Business Meeting 11:30 a.m. Committee Organization/ The Failures of Obamacare: Harmful Effects and Broken Promises House Budget Full Committee Hearing 10:15 a.m. Committee Organization House Education and the Workforce Full Committee Business Meeting 11:15 a.m. Committee Organization House Foreign Affairs Full Committee Business Meeting 10:30 a.m. Committee Organization House Judiciary Full Committee Business Meeting 11 a.m. Ongoing Intelligence Activities House Select Intelligence Full Committee Hearing 10 a.m. Committee Organization House Energy and Commerce Full Committee Business Meeting 1 p.m. Committee Organization House Oversight and Government Reform Full Committee Business Meeting 1 p.m. Subcommitteee Organization/Affordable Care Act Individual Mandate House Ways and Means – Subcommittee on Oversight Subcommittee Hearing 2 p.m. Senate Committees Defense Budget for FY2018 and Onwards Senate Armed Services Full Committee Hearing 9:30 a.m., SH-216 Committee Organization/Dr. Carson Nomination Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Full Committee Business Meeting 10 a.m., SD-538 Director of the Office of Management and Budget Nomination Senate Budget Full Committee Hearing 10:30 a.m., SD-608 Committee Organization/Pending Legislation Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Full Committee Markup 10 a.m., SD-G50 Secretary of Health and Human Services Nomination Senate Finance Full Committee Hearing 10 a.m., SD-215 Attorney General Nomination/Committee Organization Senate Judiciary Full Committee Markup 10 a.m. Committee Organization/Secretary of Education Nomination Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Full Committee Business Meeting 2:30 p.m., SD-430 Administrator of the Small Business Administration Nomination Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Full Committee Hearing 10:30 a.m., SR-428A Director of the Office of Management and Budget Nomination Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Full Committee Hearing 2:30 p.m., SD-342 Committee Organization Senate Veterans’ Affairs Full Committee Business Meeting 3 p.m.
Mike Pence looks like he will be Donald Trump’s inside man in Congress
When Mike Pence landed in Congress after the 2000 election, he was a conservative agitator who often bucked President George W. Bush‘s agenda. Seventeen years later, he’s the vice president-elect and Donald Trump‘s inside man on Capitol Hill. Pence, who spent a dozen years in Congress before becoming Indiana’s governor, is visiting frequently with lawmakers and promising close coordination after Trump’s inauguration Friday. In a sign of his attentiveness, Pence will have an office in the House as well as the traditional honorary office for the vice president in the Senate. Pence’s role takes on greater importance, given Trump’s ascension to the White House without any experience in elective office. Trump has few long-standing political alliances in Congress and a strained relationship with the Republican establishment, a hangover from the 2016 campaign. Trump’s agenda doesn’t always align with Republicans’ priorities, and his inflammatory remarks about immigrants, Muslims and women made many in the GOP cringe. Pence has forged an enduring friendship with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., dating to their early years in Congress, along with other House Republicans crucial to advancing Trump’s agenda. In early meetings with lawmakers, Pence has passed out his personal cellphone number and promised an open line to the administration. “He’s the trusted intermediary. He’s the person that people on both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue know and trust,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. If Trump is known for his brash form of disruptive politics, Pence represents the incoming administration in a more traditional manner, exemplified by his polite, Midwestern demeanor. He joined Trump in New York on Wednesday for the president-elect’s first news conference since the Nov. 8 election. Pence soon returned to Capitol Hill for meetings with several senators, including Democrats Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Tim Kaine of Virginia. The latter was Hillary Clinton‘s running mate and Pence’s adversary in October’s vice president debate. “Opportunities to work together on issues like infrastructure and child care we think represent a significant chance to bring together leaders in both political parties,” Pence said after meeting with Kaine. Pence’s early days in Washington were marked more by his role as a conservative purist than deal-maker. He opposed the Bush administration on issues such as the president’s No Child Left Behind education law and an overhaul of Medicare that provided new prescription drug coverage in 2003. Pence was a leading conservative voice, often arguing that the Republican administration had strayed from conservative principles and had failed to curb federal spending. After Republicans were swept from power in the 2006 elections, Pence unsuccessfully challenged Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, to become minority leader. Two years later, Boehner backed Pence’s entry into the leadership team, elevating the Indiana congressman to chairman of the House GOP conference, the party’s No. 3 post. One of the ways Pence built lasting ties with fellow lawmakers was through Bible study. Pence often joined Ryan, House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, and Georgia Rep. Tom Price, Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, for weekly Bible study sessions. House Republicans say those are the types of interactions that will help him in Trump’s administration. “Mike Pence is a House man. He cares about us and he will make sure that we are in the loop,” said Rep. Jack Carter, R-Texas, who also attended Bible study with Pence. By having an office in the House along with the ceremonial one in the Senate for his role as the chamber’s president, Pence will follow a path set by Vice President Dick Cheney, a former Wyoming congressman who maintained a House office during the Bush presidency. Pence’s conservative record gives rank-and-file Democrats few reasons to be hopeful that he could be a bipartisan deal-maker on Trump’s behalf. Planned Parenthood, for example, mobilized after Ryan said he planned to strip federal dollars from their organization as part of repeal of Obama’s health care law. The organization pointed to Pence’s anti-abortion record and history of seeking to block federal dollars from the health care provider as one of the reasons for the quick GOP push. “Mike Pence’s fingerprints are all over that,” said Dawn Laguens, Planned Parenthood’s executive vice president. But Pence has tried to build some bridges. When Manchin, a centrist Democrat facing re-election next year, called incoming Trump White House adviser Katie Walsh in early January to request a meeting with Pence, the senator found himself face to face with Pence only a few hours later. They exchanged cellphone numbers and Manchin again sat down with Pence on Wednesday for a discussion that included the Supreme Court vacancy and federal judicial appointments. “My job is going to be trying to find pathways forward – how do you find a way to fix things, repair things and make things happen? So you’ve got to build these relationships,” Manchin said. Republish with permission of The Associated Press.
