What’s Up Washington (Sept. 8, 2017)

1 min read


Today in Congress

 

House in at 9 AM for legislative business, with first vote between 10 – 11 AM on the Senate-passed READ Act (H.R. 601), which includes the Hurricane Supplemental, Debt Limit, Continuing Appropriations, and Flood Insurance package. House continues debate on the 224 amendments to the multi-agency spending bill (H.R. 3354).
 

Senate is out.


ICYMI

 

  • House passed continuing resolution / debt ceiling / Hurricane Harvey deal in 319-90 vote, sending it to President’s desk

  • Axios on the Oval Office scene: "You say I can't make deals anymore? Hold my Diet Coke”

  • It’s a NY love-fest at the moment

  • All 90 “no” votes came from Republicans; last minute pitch by Secretary Mnuchin not well received (like, really bad)

  • Senate HELP effort and Graham-Cassidy supporters getting close to health care compromise

  • Reminder that the opportunity to vote on a health bill through the reconciliation process ends September 30

  • President Trump regrets initial focus on health care and seems (really) ready to move on

  • Gonna need to see some details to get this tax reform party started

  • Dare you to watch without crying: Jimmy Fallon invited the impromptu Houston Gospel Choir to celebrate the heroes of Houston (& donated $1 million to JJ Watts’ fund)

  • Keep up the praying and giving and volunteering: Irma still barreling on path straight for Florida

  • And death toll rising from overnight 8.5 earthquake in Chiapas Mexico

  • Six things to know about Department of Ed enforcement changes for Title IX (from Sec. DeVos remarks yesterday)

  • Massive Equifax data breach impacts half of American adults; three company officers sold off $1.8 million in stock in days before announcement

  • 3,500 troops headed to Afghanistan

  • More corporate money, more southern committee chairmen, fewer Congressional staffers – + lots more in the new Congressional vital stats

  • After Don Jr’s meeting with Senate Judiciary, Sen. Coons [D, DE] sent out reminder of statute that makes it a crime to lie to Congress

  • Sen. Murphy [D, CT] working on Medicare buy-in plan

  • House Dems and Hispanic Caucus launch effort to discharge the DREAM Act (to bring to floor vote)

  • Russian “troll farms” created thousands of “fake Americans” to influence the election

  • ProPublica launches crowd-sourced effort to monitor and catalog political Facebook ads

  • Most popular Texas secession Facebook page? Yep, it’s Russian

  • What the heck is a Verrit?

  • How counterfeit sneakers are financing terror

  • Clowns are people too

  • State fairs are awesome