WHAT CONGRESS IS UP TO
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews
Correspondent
Each week, our team chooses which story or issue to do our conversational deep-dive on with you here.
This week we deliberated between three issues; each is national, important and moving in Congress. Finally, we chose not to decide, as Canadian rock band Rush put it. Instead, we’re giving you updates on all three.
The infra-clima-equi-structure bill
President Biden has begun his effort at passing the American Jobs Plan through Congress, a mega-bill that includes some traditional infrastructure, like roads and bridges, but has more money for what we’ll call climatestructure (think electric vehicle stations) and racial equity spending in areas ranging from drinking water to housing. If he succeeds it will be the largest (in dollars) non-emergency piece of legislation in American history.
We’ve learned a bit more about how Biden is approaching this plan, thanks to a meeting at the White House yesterday with eight members of Congress, Democrats and Republicans — all this according to multiple members in the room.
- Gas tax. Biden is open to an increase in the federal gas tax as a way to pay for more infrastructure. He raised the idea of a five-cent increase, according to Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J.
- Agreement on Biden. Lawmakers from both parties agree Biden stressed that he sees this infrastructure deal as critical to the country’s future, to its competitiveness with other nations, and that it must be large enough to set a better foundation for the long-term. And that it is a core priority for him.
- Biden wants bipartisanship. Members said Biden also went to lengths to say he wants to find ways to get Republicans on board, including potentially separating out some ideas, like clean water and lead-pipe spending, but only if there is a viable other path for those things. Of course, Biden and Republicans still seem at significant odds. See below.
- GOP pushback. Republicans sharply rejected the idea of rolling back the 2017 tax cuts for corporations in order to pay for the infrastructure bill — and at the idea that everything in the bill is necessary. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., questioned whether the federal government should help rebuild or renovate run-down school and childcare facilities that should be governed by states.
A shower of COVID relief programs
As nascent Bidenstructure talks center around hypotheticals for the moment, some juggernaut COVID relief programs — part of the $1.9 trillion bill passed last month — are moving into deployment. Some things to watch:
- Funerals. This week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency opened a program that will help pay for funerals of Americans who died from COVID-19. They were quickly overwhelmed with calls. The program applies to funerals dating back to early last year.
- Museums, theaters and more. Last week, a program known as “Shuttered Venue Operator Grants” went into operation to get aid to museums, theaters, zoos, concert venues and other entertainment-related businesses. The portal had some initial technical problems, but this, too, is now underway.
- Restaurants. Not yet open but expected soon is another big one, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund: $25 billion for restaurants that lost revenue because of the pandemic. (It can be used in addition to the Paycheck Protection Program funds.) This is expected to be an incredibly high-demand program that the Small Business Administration is managing itself. Restaurants are awaiting final guidelines on the money and, most importantly, to know when they can apply.
- States, cities and counties. Towns, cities, counties and parishes across the country are preparing for what may be their largest single infusion of cash in history. The American Rescue Plan set aside $350 billion in relief for them, apportioned mostly based on population. But each of those jurisdictions is waiting on key guidance from the Treasury Department on how they can spend the money, what limits may be in place. Those rules and the money itself are all expected within the next month.
Hate crimes and Congress
Finally, this week is raising important debate in the Senate over how to address hate crimes, particularly those against Asian Americans.
- A four-page bill from Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., would direct the Department of Justice to name a point person to speed up work on cases related to COVID-19 and hate crimes. The bill defines those as violence connected to a person’s race, gender, sexual orientation or other inherent qualities being perceived as relating to the transmission of the coronavirus.
- In fewer words, the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act would force more action on cases where Asian Americans and others are harmed out of irrational fear or anger over the coronavirus.
- Republicans have been slow to get on board with the legislation and raised the idea of blocking the bill from even coming up for a vote. Their range of criticisms initially varied from concerns about the rushed process on the bill to concern it doesn’t do much and is solely symbolic.
- This led to growing concern from all sides that the 2021 Senate could face its first test of the filibuster.
- In the past day, however, Republicans have backed down somewhat, signaling they will at least allow debate to begin.
- Next, Democrats hope to draw Republican support with an amendment to the bill adding another broader, bipartisan piece of hate crimes legislation.
- But it will not be clear for at least a day or two if this succeeds. Or if Republicans do indeed successfully block the bill.
FIVE OVERLOOKED POLITICAL STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK
By Ian Couzens, @iancouzenz
Politics production assistant
Census Delay Spells Election Chaos for States - April 7. Twenty-five states have laws that require districts be redrawn this year. Without the new census data from 2020, some states are relying on outdated population information while others are creating alternative data sets to meet their deadlines. Why it matters: Without up-to-date census data, there is a heightened risk that fast-growing areas, especially ones that are more racially and ethnically diverse, could end up being underrepresented. -- Stateline
Interior secretary steps into Utah public lands tug-of-war - April 8. President Trump reduced the size of both Bears Ear National Park and Grand Staircase Escalante National Park, both of which hold spiritual importance to many Indigenous tribes, opening the Utah land up for coal and oil drilling. Why it matters: Secretary Deb Haaland is the first Indigenous person to lead Interior, which has broad authority over land sacred to Indigenous people, giving her a unique perspective on the communities affected by her decision on whether to reverse the Trump administration. -- The Associated Press
Maryland legislators pass landmark police reform package into law, overriding Gov. Hogan’s vetoes - April 10. The heavily Democratic legislature dismissed the Republican governor’s concerns that the reform bill’s central provisions go too far and will treat police unfairly. Why it matters: The Maryland Police Accountability Act will overhaul the disciplinary process for officers accused of misconduct, create new legal standards around the use of force, allow for public scrutiny of complaints and internal affairs files, and severely limit no-knock warrants. -- The Baltimore Sun
Senate filibuster’s racist past fuels arguments for its end - April 10. Those advocating for getting rid of the filibuster are citing how it was historically used to support racism. Probably the best-known example of this was Sen. Strom Thurmond’s 24-hour speech filibustering the 1957 Civil Rights bill, though the filibuster was also used a number of times in the early 20th century to block anti-lynching bills. Why it matters: Republican senators are now using the filibuster to block HR 1, Democrats’ sweeping voting rights bill that would expand ballot access and undo new restrictive elections laws in Georgia. -- The Associated Press
Mitch McConnell tends his legacy 8,000 miles away - April 12. Sen. McConnell’s longstanding promotion of democracy in Myanmar and his relationship with leader Aung San Suu Kyi are prompting some rare bipartisanship: President Biden consulted with McConnell to coordinate the U.S. response to the recent military coup there, and McConnell praised the president for his instincts and handling. Why it matters: Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are united in their goal of restoring Myanmar’s legitimately elected government and are unlikely to face roadblocks in taking action. -- Politico
#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Kate Grumke, @KGrumke
Politics producer
On this day in 1943, a new monument in Washington, D.C., was dedicated to a president. The dedication ceremony was scheduled on the 200th anniversary of this president’s birth and was attended by then-President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Our question: Which president was honored by a monument dedicated on this day in 1943?
Send your answers to [email protected] or tweet using #PoliticsTrivia. The first correct answers will earn a shout-out next week.
Last week, we asked: What Louisiana governor was impeached on this day in 1929?
The answer: Huey P. Long
Long was a governor of Louisiana and was also a U.S. senator. He was a progressive populist whose tactics have been described as “demagogic.” Long was assassinated in 1935 at the age of 42, as he was preparing to run for president. He had written a sort of autobiography that imagined a successful run, titled “My First Days in the White House,” which was published after his death.
Congratulations to our winners: Brad Robideau and Phil Muth!
Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your inbox next week.
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