Zelenskyy comes back to town
But it may be too little, too late. Plus: The NDAA looks like it’ll cross the finish line before holiday recess and what to know about the House GOP’s upcoming Biden impeachment inquiry vote.
👋🏾 Hi, hey, hello! Welcome back to Once Upon a Hill, a new independent and in-depth publication about Congress, campaigns, politics and more.
ICYMI: I wrote in last Thursday’s paid edition about the problem with former Congressman George Santos’s soaring internet fandom, spurred by his decision to join the personalized video messaging app, Cameo. I reached out to Kate Lindsay, who writes Embedded, a fabulous newsletter about what’s good on the internet, who helped explain what the Santos spectacle reveals about internet culture and the fragility of American democracy.
And in my weekly Courier column, I wrote about how a new Michigan voting rights law is a reminder of how woefully unprepared the US is for a Trump-led assault on voting rights in the wake of some of his latest dog whistles. If you loved Supercreator and love Once Upon a Hill, you’ll feel the same about Courier, its pro-democracy point of view and knack for meeting readers where they are.
And finally, a programming note: Once Upon a Hill will be on break while Congress is in recess. I’ll take some time to unplug and prep for a bonkers campaign season and its impact on Congress and the body politic. I’ll return to your inbox on Jan. 8, 2024—11 days before another government funding deadline, so you know that’ll be fun. (Paid subscribers, your last edition for the year will arrive on Thursday evening.) Until then, be good to yourself.
Now, back to this week’s top storylines.
“As long as it takes.”
Those five words have been President Joe Biden’s go-to response when he’s asked how long the US will support Ukraine in its fight against the brutal invasion Russia launched almost two years ago.
But the commander-in-chief’s commitment is in peril as Congress enters its last week of session before heading home for the holidays. It will do so with a lengthy unfinished to-do list, chief among it Biden’s $106 billion emergency national security funding request near the top.
Against this backdrop, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine will travel to Washington, DC, on Tuesday at President Biden’s invitation to mount a charm offensive aimed at persuading lawmakers to prioritize the urgent needs of his country over US politics.
Zelenskyy will attend an all-senators meeting on Tuesday and meet with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Capitol Hill while he’s in town—no word yet if he will do the same with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
He’ll also meet with President Biden at the White House before the two leaders hold a joint press conference.
“As Russia ramps up its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, the leaders will discuss Ukraine’s urgent needs and the vital importance of the United States’ continued support at this critical moment,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Flora Garamvolgyi and David Smith at The Guardian report that Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank, will convene President Viktor Orbán’s team and Republican members of Congress to strategize how to end US support for Ukraine, with their sights set on the European Union next.
House conservatives, unable to earn a single vote from House Democrats on HR 2, the signature anti-immigration bill they passed this summer that’s languished in the Democratic-controlled Senate, have weaponized the president’s request into a bargaining chip to enact cruel policies that otherwise would never see the light of day.
Then, they say, they’ll approve resources for the administration to divvy between Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific region and the response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Since House Republicans control the floor and Senate rules enable senators in the minority party to prevent major legislation from advancing to a floor vote without its blessing, Democrats have had to play ball.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), the Democrats’ top negotiator, has rebuffed demands from Republicans—led by Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.)—to tighten parole standards, install an updated version of Title 42 and implement stricter asylum criteria.
It’s been four decades since Congress passed meaningful immigration reform. This House GOP majority can’t keep the government open without firing its speaker or resorting to legislative gimmicks like staggering funding deadlines that encourage Congress to consider and pass smaller budget bills instead of moving them as a single omnibus. Where conservatives discovered the notion that they could solve a multi-faceted crisis with their unpopular ideas alone defies logic. And there’s dwindling optimism this time will be different than the other fits and starts we’ve seen as many well-meaning Senate gangs before the current one has come together just to fall apart ultimately. But I’m told by a source close to the negotiations that it’s noteworthy that Murphy and Lankford are still at the table.
It’s undeniable that there’s no better messenger than Zelenskyy to speak to the horrors of Russia’s war and the value of the more than $75 billion in assistance his country has received. Even those who oppose Ukraine aid acknowledge Zelenskyy’s sincerity. But it’s also indisputable that enough congressional Republicans are peeved with his inability to lay out a vision for how and when the war might end.
Senior administration officials have trial-ballooned different messages to find one that resonates on the hill and with the public. In one breath, they rightfully claim the Russia-Ukraine war is one between democracy and autocracy. And in the next, they argue that providing aid to Ukraine is good for the American economy because the US is replenishing its stockpiles with new, high-tech weapons and equipment that American workers are building.
Zelenskyy may ultimately find he’s on the wrong side of the clock. After his visit, there are only two legislative days left in 2023. And Speaker Johnson has demonstrated no appetite to keep members in town beyond this week to consider the supplemental even if the Senate reaches a deal. As you’ll see in the next two items, the priorities are clearing the yearly defense policy bill and, wait for it, authorizing an impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
NDAA set for final passage
If Zelenskyy’s pitch is unsuccessful, the National Defense Authorization Act—the annual bill that sets policy and authorizes funding for the Defense Department—is the only major bill among consideration that will likely pass before Congress adjourns for the holidays.
The Senate cleared its first procedural hurdle last Thursday afternoon when it voted 82-15 to move on to debate the final version of the bill that both chambers released a day earlier. After the vote, Leader Schumer teed up the next procedural vote ahead of final passage this week.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) announced on Friday that members would consider the NDAA this week under suspension, a legislative mechanism that limits floor debate to 40 minutes, prohibits all floor amendments and requires a two-thirds vote for final passage.
The fiscal year 2024 NDAA authorizes $874.2 billion for national defense programs, including a 5.2 percent pay increase for service members of the armed forces. The bill also permits the sale of billions of dollars in nuclear submarines to Australia as part of the AUKUS partnership between America and the United Kingdom. It permanently establishes the titles of the commissioned officer ranks of the Space Force to be the same as the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force. And the NDAA prevents US presidents from withdrawing from NATO without the approval of a two-thirds Senate supermajority. (Former President Donald Trump has reportedly mulled ending the US’s commitment to the European alliance if reelected in 2024.)
Congressional Democrats prioritized support for military spouses and families—investments in housing, child care, career opportunities and health care, for example—in their negotiations with Republicans.
The final NDAA includes more than $300 million to construct new child development centers and $60 million in additional funds for planning and design to accelerate future center replacements. $70 million is authorized for educational agencies both with military-dependent students and that serve children with severe disabilities. Historically Black Colleges and Universities will receive $150 million in funding to promote innovation and investment in traditionally underserved communities.
The final bill also included legislation on collecting and disclosing unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs).
Unhappy with the final product, conservative hardliners in the House Freedom Caucus issued its formal opposition to the NDAA before Scalise announced the week’s schedule.
“The House and Senate should have had a true conference negotiation on the FY24 NDAA—as the House voted to do,” the far-right group wrote in a statement. “It is unacceptable that a predetermined deal reached by the ‘four corners’ behind closed doors has been air-dropped into the process to undermine many of the most critical House GOP positions.”
All you need to do is browse the final NDAA, and you’ll see why HFC members are so upset: It dropped the harmful anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ+, anti-environment and anti-DEI provisions that were initially in the House version that passed mostly along party lines this summer.
House progressives are likely to vote against the NDAA as well, in protest against the increased defense budget at a time when they feel domestic priorities are profoundly underfunded and the Pentagon lacks proper accountability and oversight of its ballooning budget.
In other words, the votes will likely come from the middle. And while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told me last Thursday that House Democrats have yet to discuss the NDAA as a caucus, he expressed confidence that it would ultimately pass.
“But it’s been a bipartisan process,” he added. “I believe we have arrived at a place that is worthy of strong consideration for very strong support amongst the House Democratic Caucus.”
No evidence, no problem: House GOP rolls full steam ahead toward Biden impeachment
What will receive less Democratic support is a vote to authorize an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, which House Republicans are expected to do this week.
Let’s start with the upshot: No congressional investigations have discovered any wrongdoing by the president himself.
Nonetheless, House Republicans allege President Biden used his position as vice president on his son Hunter’s behalf in exchange for money or favors and that the president is a beneficiary of a “two-tiered justice system.” This so-called abuse of public office for the president’s family’s financial gain, GOP members say, threatens our national security.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) filed the first articles of impeachment the day after President Biden was inaugurated, citing a debunked allegation that the president sought to protect Hunter from a corruption investigation by arranging to have Ukraine’s top prosecutor removed.
Republicans have also accused the Justice Department of interfering in a federal investigation into Hunter, but these investigations have not produced evidence of wrongdoing by the president.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) agreed to either impeach Biden or launch an impeachment inquiry against the president during negotiations with the House Freedom Caucus after several days and many failed ballots in January in his bid for the top gavel.
By September, McCarthy had announced an inquiry to be conducted by House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.), House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Ways & Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), with Comer leading the investigation. (House Oversight is investigating the Biden family and their finances. House Judiciary is examining alleged coverups and the Ways & Means panel is probing tax sensitive information.
McCarthy previously promised that he would only open an impeachment inquiry into Biden with a full vote but reneged on the commitment when it was clear he didn’t have the votes. He would later claim to be following the precedent set by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who launched an impeachment inquiry into Trump in 2019, a month before a floor vote passed to approve it. At the time, McCarthy said he believed an authorizing vote was required to legitimize an inquiry.
When McCarthy was removed in late September and replaced by Mike Johnson (R-La.), he said the inquiry would continue under his speakership. Last month, Johnson indicated in a private lunch with a group of so-called moderate Republicans that there was insufficient evidence to initiate formal impeachment proceedings. He now believes he has enough votes to open an inquiry anyway.
House Democrats dismiss the inquiry as a political exercise led by twice-impeached former President Trump and his allies, who have expressed a desire to get their lick back from Democrats by impeaching Biden. (Trump has publicly and privately encouraged the effort.) Members have told me the inquiry is a distraction from the House GOP’s lack of a governing agenda. And while the White House is aggressive in its response to the allegations, administration officials say they’re focused on advancing the president’s economic policies to lower costs and hold corporations accountable for exploiting consumers through junk fees and price gouging.
The committee chairmen argue that a formal impeachment inquiry broadens their investigative powers, but until recently, there had been a discernible divide within the House GOP conference towards the inquiry. Many who were originally opposed to the idea have warmed to it, while a few still express concerns about the lack of evidence against the president.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said on Sunday morning of NBC’s Meet the Press that he would vote against the inquiry if he were in the House.
House Republicans held the inquiry's first hearing in late September in a six-hour affair that left much to be desired. Despite Comer claiming investigators had “uncovered a mountain of evidence,” three of their expert witnesses testified there was no impeachment evidence against Biden at the time.
House Democrats poked holes in their GOP colleagues’ contentions and several told me they planned to use their legislative and legal acumen to continue to do so in future hearings.
“My suggestion [to House Republicans] is to do better,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), who sits on the House Oversight Committee, told me last month. “I don’t know how they do better when they’ve decided that they want the likes of a [Rep. Lauren] Boebert [(R-Colo.)] and Marjorie Taylor Greene and all of these people that are completely unserious when it comes to legislating, let alone do they have the skill set that we possess. Don’t be mad, be better.”
Happenings
On Capitol Hill
Tuesday: The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement and Intelligence will hold a hearing on addressing organized retail crime … The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on ensuring accountability for C-Suite criminals … The House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe will hold a hearing on addressing anti-semitism in Europe … The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing on the threat of Iran to US policy and personnel after the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in Israel.
Wednesday: The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet will hold a hearing on protecting American consumers, workers and creators … The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights will hold a hearing on the impact of algorithms on competition and consumer rights.
Thursday: The Senate Aging Committee will hold a hearing on substance use trends among older adults … The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing on the diabetes epidemic … The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law will hold a hearing on protecting the rights of foster kids.
At the White House
Biden’s week ahead:
Monday: The president will travel to Philadelphia to speak at an event announcing a grant to fund firefighters’ salary and benefits and enable the Philadelphia Fire Department to reopen three fire companies. He will also speak at a campaign fundraiser in Philly before returning to the White House, where he and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden will host a Hanukkah holiday reception. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will attend.
Tuesday: President Biden will host President Zelenskyy for a bilateral meeting and participate in a press conference. Biden will also speak at a campaign fundraiser in DC.
Wednesday: The president will speak at a National Infrastructure Advisory Council meeting.
Friday: President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will have lunch.
Saturday: The president and Dr. Biden will travel to Wilmington, Delaware.
Harris’s week ahead:
Monday: The vice president and second gentleman will host two holiday receptions at the Naval Observatory. She will also hold a press call on home and community-based care services and the care workforce.
Tuesday: Harris will speak at a campaign event and host a holiday reception with the second gentleman at the Naval Observatory.
Wednesday: The vice president will participate in a roundtable with state legislators on gun violence prevention and host several holiday receptions with the second gentleman at the Naval Observatory.
Thursday: Harris and Emhoff will host a holiday reception at the Naval Observatory and the vice president will also record an interview with talk show host D. L. Hughley.
Friday: The vice president will host a holiday reception with the second gentleman at the Naval Observatory.
The 60-Second Interview: Lucy McBath
Georgia state Republicans passed a new map last week that would demolish the 7th Congressional District, which comprises a majority of Black, Hispanic and Asian voters, to create a court-mandated majority-Black district. If the map stands, it could squeeze Rep. Lucy McBath, who was drawn out of Georgia’s 6th congressional district ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. I caught up with McBath after the final vote series late last week to hear her thoughts. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
This is the second [election cycle] in a row that you’re dealing with this. How are you handling it and why do you think Georgia state Republicans keep targeting you?
It’s not surprising. They’re always targeting me. Maybe because I’m doing the work. Maybe it’s because I’m getting things done.
What does this work entail for those unfamiliar with Georgia politics or observing the state from afar?
A lot of the Bipartisan Safer Communities [Act], that was my work. The Office of Gun Violence Prevention at the White House—I’ve been pushing for those measures for a long time and to take my recommendations on the individuals that are now deputy directors.
But also, just all of the other work that we’re doing in health care—$35 out-of-pocket costs for insulin. I was able to work with Sen. [Raphael] Warnock [(D-Ga.)] on that bill.
Have you decided if you’re running again?
Absolutely. As I’ve always said, I’m not going to let anyone else determine when my work in Congress is done. I’m going to let the people decide. So we’ll just have to wait and see what the judge decides [on] Dec. 20. Now, he’s calling another special hearing and he will determine where we go from here. But no matter what, I’m not going away.
Where does that fight and the courage to not back down come from?
It’s in my DNA. My parents were civil rights leaders and I grew up in the civil rights movement, fighting for people and their ability to tell us, the body that represents them, what’s important to them. If I’m not here, then I can’t help champion [those issues].
I come from those constituents. I am those constituents. I’ve been a flight attendant, a mother, a divorcee. I’ve been in the health care system—two-time breast cancer survivor. Lost my child to gun violence. I’ve been a caretaker for my aging mother.
I have lived the same kinds of experiences that my constituents live every single day. So these are not talking points for me. I’ve lived it. I understand their struggles, and I understand the accomplishments and all those things.
Thanks for reading Once Upon a Hill! That’s all for now. Send me your tips, ideas and feedback: michael@onceuponahill.com. See you on Thursday.