Welcome to Tuesday, July 16, lactose tolerant and intolerant...

Politicians from across the political spectrum are responding to tweets by the president where he urged progressive Democratic lawmakers to "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”

Democratic lawmakers and presidential candidates roundly denounced Trump's tweetstorm as racist, bigoted, or xenophobic.

“This weekend, the President went beyond his own low standards using disgraceful language about Members of Congress," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote a letter to House Democrats. "This morning, the President doubled down on his attacks on our four colleagues suggesting they apologize to him. Let me be clear, our Caucus will continue to forcefully respond to these disgusting attacks.”

Former Vice President Joe Biden, a 2020 candidate, tweeted: "America's strength is and has always been rooted in our diversity. But President Trump continues to spew hateful rhetoric, sow division, and stoke racial tensions for his own political gain. Let's be clear: Racism and xenophobia have no place in America."

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told Fox & Friends that Trump needs to "aim higher."

“Mr. President, you’re gonna win. Just knock it down a notch," Graham said. "We all know that AOC and this crowd are a bunch of communists."

Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, who recently left the Republican Party, tweeted back at Trump: "To tell these American citizens (most of whom were born here) to 'go back' to the “crime infested places from which they came” is racist and disgusting."

As for the man who launched a million tweets, Trump defended his actions on Monday, telling reporters: "If somebody has a problem with our country, if somebody doesn't want to be in our country, they should leave. These are people that hate our country."

Should Congress condemn Trump for his tweets?

On the Radar

Ending Asylum Protections

The Trump administration on Monday announced it is moving to end asylum protections for most Central American migrants.

The departments of Justice and Homeland Security unveiled a new rule that would require migrants fleeing their home countries to apply for asylum in the first country they reach—or become ineligible for asylum once they reach the U.S.

DHS Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan said that the agency's "action will reduce the overwhelming burdens on our domestic system caused by asylum-seekers failing to seek urgent protection in the first available country."

But Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at the ACLU, argued the "administration is trying to unilaterally reverse our country's legal and moral commitment to protect those fleeing danger. This new rule is patently unlawful and we will sue swiftly.”

Should migrants have to apply for asylum in the first country they enter?

Under the Radar

Committee Watch

Before bills and nominations are brought up for a passage vote in Congress, they typically have to be considered and approved by relevant committees.

We take a thorough look at the hearings Congressional committees will be holding this week in our Committee Watch, but here are a few we're watching extra closely:

On Tuesday, the Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing titled “Examining Facebook’s Proposed Digital Currency and Data Privacy Considerations”. 10am
Also today, the Senate Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing titled “2020 Census: Conducting a Secure and Accurate Count”. 2:30pm
On Thursday, the House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing with Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan. 10am

Read the full Committee Watch here, then tell your reps:

How do you feel about this week's committee hearings?

Your Gov't At a Glance

The White House: President Trump in D.C.

At 11:30am EDT, the president will participate in a Cabinet meeting.
At 12:45pm EDT, the president will have lunch with the secretary of state.
At 4:00pm EDT, the president will meet with Republican congressional leadership.

The House: In

Voting on a bill to approve intelligence agencies' (mostly classified) FY2020 budgets.
Voting on a resolution to condemn President Trump's tweets telling members of Congress to "go back" where they came from as racist.

The Senate: In

Voting on the confirmation of Judge Peter Phipps to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
Taking a procedural vote on the ratification of a tax treaty with Spain.