Antsy senators wonder if and when border deal will arrive
Plus: Concerns emerge within the White House that European nations could withdraw their support for Ukraine too and the Biden camp responds to Trump’s latest comments on taxes.
👋🏾 Hi, hey, hello! It’s January 23, 2024. I’m Michael Jones, and you’re reading Once Upon a Hill, an independent newsletter that brings you fresh reporting and unique insights on congressional politics and how federal policy affects diverse communities.
After weeks of closed-door huddles between bipartisan Senate negotiators and White House officials on a border security package that would unlock billions of dollars in international aid, we’re now in the phase before we find out if there’s a deal to be had. During this stage, lawmakers express frustration about the inconspicuous nature of the talks and leaders send mixed messages about how close at hand an agreement actually may be. We saw each of these play out in living color yesterday.
At the White House, senior officials are hinting at the notion that European allies and partners could ultimately withdraw their support from Ukraine if Congress fails to approve new funding ASAP. This, they say, would be a perfect scenario for global autocrats skeptical of the idea that democratic systems of government are superior to those led by one person with absolute power.
Meanwhile, the Biden campaign pounced on new comments from former President Donald Trump on his desire to cut taxes even more for wealthy individuals and big corporations if elected to a second term this November. Taxes are a hot topic, of course,
as filing season approaches and Congress is considering a bipartisan tax package that would provide a partial restoration of the expanded Child Tax Credit and lots of breaks for businesses.
I’ve got all the details on these storylines below. But first things first:
And then there were 432 • The House is currently in recess, but when they return next week, the Republican majority will be deli-ham thin. Former Rep. Bill Johnson’s resignation became official yesterday, leaving his seat in Ohio’s 6th congressional district open along with the two already empty in California’s 27th and New York’s 3rd due to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s retirement and George Santos’s expulsion late last year.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) are out for health reasons, leaving the House GOP with just a one-seat margin for any party-line bills. Keep this in mind when House conservatives make unreasonable policy demands or shut down the House floor because they didn’t get their way. It’s all bark, no bite—because they lack the votes to back up the tough talk. It’s all performance to fundraise and appeal to the pugnacious impulses of former President Donald Trump.
Morelle calls for NH robocall probe • Ahead of today’s New Hampshire primary, a robocall impersonating President Biden was targeted to voters to persuade them against voting.
The New Hampshire state attorney general’s office is investigating the matter, but Rep. Joe Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, has requested Attorney General Merrick Garland also launch a federal investigation.
“I am deeply concerned about the potential subversive effects that artificial intelligence generated content may have—indeed, is already having—on our elections,” Morelle wrote in a letter to Garland. “This clear bid to interfere in the New Hampshire primary demands a thorough investigation and a forceful response from federal officials to deter further AI-based attacks that will disrupt democracy and disenfranchise American voters.”
It’s not clear how many voters received the call or what types of voters were targeted. The Biden campaign said it is exploring additional actions to take in response to the robocalls.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that President Biden has been clear that there are risks associated with deep fakes, fake images, and misinformation that can be exacerbated by emerging technologies.
“That’s why this President has directed the Department of Commerce through the AI Safety Institute at [National Institute of Standards and Technology] to help develop clear watermarking and content standards.”
Biden’s name isn’t on today’s ballot since it occurs before the South Carolina primary next month, the first sanctioned contest under new Democratic National Committee rules. But local supporters launched a write-in campaign for Biden to help the president avoid an early embarrassment as Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) is exploiting the unsanctioned primary to boost his long-shot challenge for the Democratic nomination.
You can’t make this stuff up • The White House announced yesterday President Biden will be traveling to Superior, a northwestern city in Wisconsin, on Thursday to promote his economic agenda.
Prior to the announcement, Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) announced a $1 billion award from the Transportation Department to Duluth, a city in Stauber’s district, and Superior to replace the Blatnik Bridge, a 62-year-old through-arch that connects the two cities.
The irony is Stauber voted against the bipartisan infrastructure law that’s funding the project, as the community note on the congressman’s X post announcing it points out. In other words, as former infrastructure czar Mitch Landrieu often says, They vote no but take the dough.
This backstory provides Biden with valuable fodder as he heads into a district former President Trump won by nearly 15 points in 2020. He likes to say his legislative achievements fulfill his promise to be a president for all Americans, even those who didn’t vote for him.
RIP Dexter King • My heart is with the King family, who announced Dexter, the youngest son of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died of prostate cancer yesterday in his home in Malibu, California. He was 62.
“Mr. King was an attorney, activist, author, producer, and advocate of nonviolence who dedicated his life to upholding the legacy of his father and mother, and we are forever grateful for his immense contribution to our country,” Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) said in a statement.
In a separate statement, Barack Obama said Dexter inspired a new generation to continue their work for justice and equality as chair of the King Center.
“Our thoughts are with his wife Leah and the entire King family,” the former president added.
Emhoff passionately promotes reproductive freedom • Ask any reproductive freedom advocate or pro-abortion-rights lawmaker and they’ll tell you men’s voices are critical in the movement to protect and expand access to abortion care.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff embraces the responsibility of modeling how men can speak loudly with humility and empathy about issues that women have been leading for generations.
“First of all, there should be no stigma at all in talking about [abortion]. This is something that, again, affects families. It affects men, women, this is something that we should all talk about,” Emhoff said to Kelly Stout in an interview with Esquire to mark the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision yesterday. “And we know objectively that men care about this, because if you look at the elections—even in places like Kansas—in red states, where it's in the 60s or more than that percentage, which means that men are getting this, and voting for freedoms, for reproductive freedom and freedom to make decisions.”
Emhoff will travel to Virginia this afternoon to attend a campaign rally on reproductive freedom before traveling to Chicago on Wednesday and Thursday to attend campaign fundraisers.
BORDER SECURITY NEGOTIATIONS
THERE’S STILL NO legislative text for the agreement Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) are negotiating with each other and the White House on a deal to enact conservative policies at the southern border.