Nominations, Reconciliation, and Ring-Kissing: The Hill is Buzzing amid Budget Talks and Cabinet ConfirmationsIn this edition, Sen. Markwayne Mullin talks confirmations and reconciliation; Rep. Bill Huizenga talks tariffs, Gitmo, and more; Rep. James Comer’s book continues its run on the NYT bestsellers...
February 6, 2025Let’s dive in.
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In this edition, Sen. Markwayne Mullin talks confirmations and reconciliation; Rep. Bill Huizenga talks tariffs, Gitmo, and more; Rep. James Comer’s book continues its run on the NYT bestsellers list and more Heard on the Hill; inside a liberal Texas billionaire’s attempt to cozy up to Republicans, and Rep. Dan Newhouse argues for a strong Farm Bill in his latest op-ed.If you have a tip you would like to anonymously submit, please use our tip form — your anonymity is guaranteed! INTERVIEW: Confirmations and reconciliation: Markwayne Mullin dives in with the Washington Reporterby the Washington Reporter The Lowdown:
The Senate continues to truck forward in the confirmation process to get President Donald Trump’s nominees across the finish line. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R., Okla.), a close ally of the president and a key figure in House-Senate Republican relations, hopped on the phone with the Washington Reporter to talk about the ongoing confirmation process and the ever-daunting task of budget reconciliation. Mullin told the Reporter the House “has a lot of work to do” and “may have some problems getting the budget passed.” The senator noted that Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R., La.) timeline in the House to pass the budget and move toward reconciliation, but said he thinks the House “missed their timeframe on this.” “The Senate will be kind of forced to start working on an alternative package, a contingency plan,” Mullin said. “Obviously, we would love to deliver the one, big, beautiful bill that President Trump wants and that it seems like the House would like to do, but, ultimately, if they can’t get it done, then we’ve got to move.” “And there’s part of it we can’t move because taxes originate in the House. We can’t do the taxes because that’s got to come out of Ways and Means,” Mullin continued. “And there’s some pretty interesting dynamics there. You’ve got people like [Rep.] Chip Roy, who wants to raise taxes on corporations to pay for SALT.” “That’s a nonstarter. You’re not going to get that done,” he added. “And, so with just that nuance there, it’s difficult for the House to move one big package with taxes being tied up on it. So then the Senate may have to choose to do a separate package to deliver some wins and get things moving for the president, that can make sure we have the funding there for some of the programs when it comes to the border and some of these regulatory reform actions that need to take place.” Interview: Rep. Bill Huizenga on the CFPB, Trump’s tariffs, crypto, GITMO, and moreby Matthew Foldi
Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga’s (R., Mich.) home state of Michigan could have been the first to feel the consequences of President Donald Trump’s recently proposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China. However, Huizenga’s “confidence that [Trump’s] going to be able to” renegotiate America’s deals with bordering countries, much like how he renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) — a feat that every president since Bill Clinton failed to do, was well-placed as both of America’s neighbors found off-ramps that many thought might not have existed only a few days ago. “I think he's going to find willing partners certainly in Canada and hopefully in Mexico as well,” Huizenga had predicted in an interview with the Washington Reporter just prior to the tariff pauses, adding that “the simple fact is that some of the largest trade corridors in the entire world are between the United States and Canada and Mexico. Some of those largest trade routes come right through Michigan as well.” Following Trump’s initial tariff announcement, Mexico announced that it will crack down on both fentanyl smuggling and on illegal border crossings, and the implementation of the tariffs was delayed a month; likewise Canada too announced a border deal that saw its tariffs delayed a month, despite some sabre-rattling by politicians on both sides of America’s northern border. Huizenga is a co-chair of the Northern Border Caucus. Trump’s claims that Canada should be America’s 51st state won’t be “happening by any stretch of the imagination,” he said, even though some provinces of Canada have more in common with Idaho than Ontario. Huizenga has also focused on issues in the Western Hemisphere during his time on the Foreign Affairs Committee — and Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plans to reassert America in the Americas will make America “a positive force,” he said. “You're going to see a far more engaged America in the Americas. And that's a good thing. And now, with an ally like Javier Milei down in Argentina, setting the pace, there are some real positive things that could be happening all throughout Latin America, and I applaud it.” During the Biden administration, China flexed its muscles in a major way in Latin America: it controlled ports at both ends of the Panama Canal. That is why Huizenga is reintroducing his Strategic Ports Reporting Act, which is designed to ensure that the State Department and Department of Defense have active roles in countering malign Chinese influence in strategic global ports like those in Panama. “While the Biden administration disregarded growing concerns from House Republicans about the buildup of China and Russia in our backyard, the Trump administration has immediately taken action,” Huizenga said. “All it took was one visit from Secretary of State Rubio and Panama announced it would not renew its 2017 agreement with China’s BRI. This is a clear statement that a strong presence in the region delivers positive results for American interests.” Trump has also pressured countries in Latin America to help curb illegal immigration; Trump even suggested housing tens of thousands of illegal immigrants in Guantanamo Bay, which Huizenga said “makes a lot of sense. This has been utilized before, whether it was with Haitian boat lifts, or other times where we have seen surges that have overwhelmed our system. We've utilized Guantanamo, and the Biden administration was clearly welcoming the previous influx. That's part of the problem.” Exclusive: Sen. Bernie Moreno blasts County Council for caving to anti-Semitic protests, potentially threatens federal fundingby Matthew Foldi The Lowdown:
Sen. Bernie Moreno, (R., Ohio) wants answers from the Cuyahoga County Council following a controversial meeting during which anti-Semitic “protesters shrieked so loudly that the Pledge of Allegiance was rendered inaudible,” as the Buckeye State’s senior senator wrote to Democrat Dale Miller, the County Council President. In a letter first obtained by the Washington Reporter, Moreno wrote to Miller that he has “deep concerns about [Miller’s] inability to lead a public meeting without hateful harassment and disruption.” At issue specifically is a January 28 meeting during which the County Council initially planned to vote on a resolution that would have endorsed the county’s boycott of Israel bonds, which critics noted is anti-Semitic. Throughout the meeting, Moreno noted, Miller “completely failed to maintain decorum, allowing speakers to spew anti-Semitic profanities and for Jewish attendees to be subjected to hateful attacks such as being told to ‘go die.’” While the council ultimately watered down the measure to refer to all foreign entities, Moreno wants more answers. “Are you aware that Cuyahoga County received approximately 13 percent of its entire budget from federal funding?” he wrote. Moreno also wants Miller to answer whether “an attendee scream[ing] antisemitic slurs,” “an attendee's screams render[ing] the Pledge of Allegiance inaudible,” and whether an “attendee screams obscenities and profanities” violate the council’s rules. Miller has five days to answer Moreno’s questions, but it’s not clear that much can placate Moreno’s criticisms. “Frankly, I lost count of how many times Council Rules were violated during the January 28, 2025 meeting,” Moreno wrote. “Confoundingly, I failed to hear when you even once attempted to enforce the rules…It sure sounds like more than just [one council rule] was violated on January 28, 2025 at the expense of the safety and wellbeing of Jewish attendees.” Heard on the Hill
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K-STREET, 10,000 FEET: Inside the far-left Arnold Ventures’s attempts to cozy up to Republicansby the Washington Reporter The Lowdown:
As the second Trump administration kicks off, the symphony of ring-kissing is reaching a bellowing crescendo. This movement now features Arnold Ventures, founded by Texas billionaire John Arnold. Arnold and his wife will be on Capitol Hill this week meeting with members of Congress to discuss their new proposals outlined in media reports earlier this week. The Arnolds are pushing a report, titled “Achieving Fiscally Responsible Tax Reform: Top 20 Proposals to Reduce Wasteful Spending, Close Tax Loopholes, and Save up to $4 Trillion,” outlining 20 proposals to address “tax loopholes” they say could lessen the blow from the costs of extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts. Republicans, however, are unconvinced at the Arnold Ventures push to cozy up to them, especially in light of Arnold’s ties to Meta’s Board of Directors as well as his history of promoting far-left causes like “criminal justice reform” in New York and “’disinformation’ censorship operations” while positioning himself as bipartisan. In fact, some Republican operatives are warning members against listening to Arnold or Arnold Ventures. A Senate leadership aide told the Washington Reporter that “Arnold Ventures’s priorities include censorship, rigging elections with ranked choice voting, and letting violent criminals out of prison.” “This will be useful for Republicans to know what to avoid,” the Senate aide added. “Republicans should not listen to John Arnold and Arnold Ventures,” a former House GOP leadership aide told the Reporter. “Arnold pushed far-left policies, masquerading as bipartisan.” “Why would any Republican listen to a group that funded censorship and weak on crime policies?” the former aide said. Arnold Ventures’s activities on Capitol Hill come as the second Trump administration continues to march forward. The presence of Arnold Ventures in the offices of congressional Republicans does provide an interesting signal: now that President Trump is here to stay, everyone is trying to get a piece of his influence. A spokeswoman for Arnold Ventures told the Reporter that “Arnold Ventures follows an evidence-based approach to identifying solutions for many of our nation’s most intractable challenges.” “Partisanship often stands in the way of solutions, and we work to help bridge these divides,” the spokeswoman said. “By leveraging data and research, we work with leaders across the political spectrum to overcome deeply entrenched special interests and implement sustainable solutions that improve the lives of American families, strengthen their communities, and promote economic opportunity.” “Igniting robust policy debate on often difficult topics, informed by new ideas and the facts, is central to our mission, so it would be fundamentally false to suggest the organization, or its founders, do not support free speech,” she added. Op-Ed: Rep. Dan Newhouse: How important is a strong Farm Bill? Ask a farmerBy Rep. Dan Newhouse As a third-generation farmer in Washington’s Yakima Valley, I have always believed farmers are the best stewards of our lands. For the last two years, farmers and ranchers have been operating under an outdated Farm Bill that doesn’t meet the current needs of the industry. A strong Farm Bill protects growers from turbulent market conditions, supports incentive-based conservation programs, and expands market opportunities for our crops. Reauthorizing the Farm Bill before it expires at the end of September remains one of my top priorities. I am excited to return to the House Agriculture Committee for the 119th Congress and to have a strong hand in crafting the upcoming Farm Bill. I will also remain on the Agriculture Subcommittee on Appropriations, where I can help ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s programs receive the funding they need to deliver critical assistance. I am the only Republican in the House of Representatives to serve on the two committees with a direct impact on agriculture, and I am proud to be a strong advocate for a robust agricultural industry. Farmers across the country, and especially in my district in Central Washington, have faced more than their fair share of challenges since the last Farm Bill was signed into law in 2018. Input costs have skyrocketed, new trading opportunities have been limited, and inflation has squeezed farm operations of all sizes. The situation is dire in farm country, and Congress must act before the damage becomes irreversible. Op-Ed: Evan Swarztrauber: The Senate should quickly confirm Mark Meador for the FTCBy Evan Swarztrauber In recent years, Republicans have rightly broadened their perspective on threats to liberty and to human flourishing. While expansive and intrusive government should always be seen as the primary risk, unchecked corporate consolidation and lax enforcement of consumer protection laws pose significant, though unequal, threats. For President Donald Trump and for the Republican Congress to succeed in their goals of supercharging the economy and unleashing technological innovation, America needs a strong Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The country’s premier consumer protection authority needs leaders who understand how to take narrow, targeted actions that unlock economic potential rather than stifle growth. Thankfully, President Trump made two excellent choices in appointing Andrew Ferguson as chairman of the FTC and in nominating Mark Meador for commissioner; Meador’s confirmation would deliver a Republican majority at the agency. The Senate would do the American people a great service in expediting Meador’s confirmation. Meador’s impressive resume makes him the perfect candidate for the moment. As an antitrust attorney, his background includes stints in the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, and in the U.S. Senate. He also has experience representing plaintiffs victimized by anticompetitive behavior that undermines free markets and harms consumers. About the Washington Reporter We created the Washington Reporter to give Republicans in Congress an outlet for insights to help you succeed, and to cover the toughest policy fights that don't get the attention they deserve. |