It’s Tuesday, the traditional day for elections and for our pause-and-consider newsletter on politics and policy.
Rudy Giuliani
It’s Tuesday, the traditional day for elections and for our pause-and-consider newsletter on politics and policy. We think of it as a mini-magazine in your Inbox.
BESIDES IMPEACHMENT, WHAT IS CONGRESS DOING?
By Lisa Desjardins, @LisaDNews
Correspondent
As impeachment drives the headlines and dominates a few committees, the U.S. Capitol has become a place of frustration for many lawmakers and staffers. Little is getting done, despite the plethora of hearings and bills filed daily. What is moving and actually has a chance of becoming law? Here’s a look:
Prescription drug prices
All sides, including the president, have proclaimed addressing high prescription drug prices a priority. But it is not clear if the House, Senate and president can merge their ideas into a final bill.
* In the Senate: A bipartisan bill from Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that would cap how much drug companies can raise prices moved out of committee last month. It awaits a vote by the full Senate.
* House Democrats are moving ahead with their bill, H.R. 3, which would give the U.S. government the power to negotiate prices for some 250 drugs and would cap seniors’ out-of-pocket costs at $2000 a year. That bill also got a boost from a Congressional Budget Office analysis that found it would save American households nearly $150 billion and the government $345 billion over seven years. It still needs to get through one more committee but then is expected to pass the full House.
“The new NAFTA”
President Trump signed the US-Mexico-Canada, or USMCA, trade agreement in the fall of 2018, a deal meant to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Mexico has ratified the agreement, but it has not yet been approved by either the U.S. or Canadian legislatures.
The U.S. piece of that is now before Democrats in the House of Representatives, who want guarantees in three areas: better enforcement of labor protections, more environmental safeguards and some changes to how expensive biologic drugs are handled. Many moderate Democrats have clamored for a final vote soon.
Pushback on Trump foreign policy, especially Saudi Arabia, Turkey
In the past year, Republicans and Democrats have repeatedly coalesced around concern over some elements of President Trump’s foreign policy. This initially centered on U.S. support of the Saudi-led war in Yemen and Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman, leading the Republican-led Senate to pass 22 resolutions of disapproval in June.
Now, foreign policy pushback at the Capitol is focused on the president’s decision to remove troops from Syria, a move which has been widely condemned as clearing the way for Turkey to attack the Kurds. This month, House and Senate foreign policy leaders together drafted a package of increased sanctions on Turkey. The House is expected to pass the measure, but its fate in the full Senate is less clear.
Keeping government running
Currently, money to run most of the government will run out on November 21, making spending a must-tackle issue yet again. In recent months, both the White House and lawmakers have shown an aversion to brinksmanship and have avoided a government shutdown. But rising tensions over impeachment as well as continued tension over immigration and the president’s border wall could create another difficult impasse.
Judicial nominations
Perhaps the most substantial action by either party in the Capitol right now is the approval of a long line of federal judges by Republicans in the Senate.
A few statistics:
* Trump appointees now comprise 24 percent, or nearly one-quarter, of all Circuit Court judges, according to statistics from Senator Mitch McConnell’s office.
* The Senate has approved some 156 Trump nominees to federal courts (including his two Supreme Court nominees).
* According to a tracker ([link removed]) by the conservative Heritage Foundation, that is similar to the number confirmed this far into George W. Bush’s and Bill Clinton’s presidencies, though it is 50 percent higher than it was for President Barack Obama.
Heads up: Our NewsHour team is working on a longer story about this in the coming days and weeks.
Overall
The 116th Congress, as of September 30, 2019:
* 61 measures ([link removed]) passed into law.
* 8,358 measures introduced by lawmakers.
* The pace is below that of the most recent Congress which met in the year before a presidential election. The 114th passed 115 public laws by the end of December 2015.
* Of the 61 measures enacted so far this year, nearly half are perfunctory. Sixteen are extensions of current programs and at least 12 are to honor individuals with building names, coins or titles.
FIVE OVERLOOKED POLITICAL STORIES FROM THE PAST WEEK
By Alex D’Elia, @AlexDEliaNews
Politics production assistant
Postmaster general who was target of Trump’s ire announces retirement ([link removed]) -- Oct. 16. The first female chief executive of the U.S. Postal Service will retire in January after receiving criticism from President Trump for resisting his push to charge Amazon more for shipments. Why it matters: Though the departure is characterized as a normal retirement, it follows a trend of high level personnel resigning over disagreements with the president. -- The Washington Post
Obamacare premiums to fall and number of insurers to rise next year ([link removed]) -- Oct. 22. For only the second time since 2014, average monthly health care premiums will drop year-over-year. Why it matters: Despite efforts from the Trump administration to dismantle the law, the price drop is a sign that the system is stabilizing. -- The New York Times
California’s sky-high gas prices: Newsom seeks probe of ‘mystery surcharge’ ([link removed]) -- Oct. 21. After an analysis concluded that the state’s retail gasoline outlets are “charging higher prices than those in other states,” California’s governor has requested the state’s Attorney General to investigate for false advertising or price fixing. Why it matters: As the United States’ largest economy, California’s enforcement on gasoline prices could be one story to watch. -- San Francisco Chronicle
Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook caught Russia and Iran trying to interfere in 2020 ([link removed]) -- Oct. 21. Facebook CEO told NBC News that the company has already identified and thwarted Russian and Iranian interference campaigns ahead of 2020. Why it matters: The announcement reiterates ongoing concerns of foreign interference in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, though Zuckerberg remains confident after, he says, the company has defended against interference in multiple elections across the globe since 2016. -- NBC News
Supreme Court throws out challenge to Michigan electoral map ([link removed]) -- Oct. 21. In a Monday order, the justices struck down a lower court’s ruling that Michigan’s electoral districts are gerrymandered in a partisan way. Why it matters: The ruling is another blow to efforts to fight gerrymandering in federal court. -- The Hill
#POLITICSTRIVIA
By Kate Grumke, @KGrumke
Politics producer
On this day in 1836, the Republic of Texas inaugurated its first president. This famous Texan was also one of the state's first senators after Texas was annexed in 1845. AND he was governor of both Texas and Tennessee - the only American to ever serve as governor of two states.
Our question: Who was this famous politician?
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: Yesterday in 1912, former President Theodore Roosevelt was shot while campaigning in Wisconsin. What is credited with saving his life? A copy of the speech he was set to give, stuffed into his coat pocket.
Congratulations to our winner: Jackie Austin!
Thank you all for reading and watching. We’ll drop into your Inbox next week.
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** 2020 Dems face cash crunch as election timeline tightens ([link removed])
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