Nuke To Be Dropped
Senate to go nuclear today. The Hill: "Senate Republicans are expected to trigger the 'nuclear option' on Thursday ... If all goes as expected, Gorsuch will receive a final confirmation vote Friday ... A 52-48 vote to change the rule is expected, with all Democrats and their Independent allies opposed."
Trump Links Infrastructure To ACA Repeal
Trump suggests infrastructure could be tied to health care. NYT: "[Trump] described the infrastructure package as a high-value legislative sweetener that he could attach to a revived Affordable Care Act repeal bill or tax code overhaul to attract bipartisan support ... [He] refused to say how much direct public funding would be included in his proposal. A senior administration official directly involved in drafting the plan said that number would be in the $200 billion to $300 billion range over the next decade, with the balance of the package paid for by tax credits ... Mr. Schumer and many congressional Democrats say they will never agree to such large tax breaks for developers and builders..."
California set to vote on major infrastructure bill. Mother Jones: "California legislators will vote Thursday on a gas tax and other vehicle fees proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown that would raise $52 billion over ten years to fund repairs to the state's crumbling roads, bridges, and public transit systems ... The bill is shaping up to be a key test of Democratic unity. It must overcome a California requirement for a two-thirds supermajority to enact tax increases. Though Democrats hold a narrow supermajority in both houses of the legislature, Republicans are unanimously opposed to the bill, which means that a single Democratic defection can kill the proposal."
But ACA Repeal Looks Dead
NYT reports repeal effort is "dead" "The new bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act is dead, killed off by House Republicans who never actually read the legislation — because in fact, it never actually existed ... the entire effort never really had the scent of veracity. Any effort to appeal to the hard-right members of the House Freedom Caucus was always going to repel Republicans in swing districts ... If the most conservative House Republicans were blaming moderates, the moderates, for their part, were just as critical of the conservatives."
One last gasp? Politico: "House Republicans are considering an emergency committee meeting Thursday to keep their Obamacare replacement plan afloat ... The House Rules Committee alerted staff late Wednesday night that the panel may convene Thursday to hear from Republicans on next steps forward for their health care alternative..."
WH split over ACA payments. Politico: "...a divided circle of White House advisers wrestling with whether to pay out key subsidies — or cut them off and blow up the health law. The aides have limited time to figure things out; health plans must decide in June whether to stay in Obamacare insurance markets next year or pull out. If billions of dollars of cost-sharing subsidies dry up, the plans are more likely to leave, possibly quite rapidly. Millions of people could lose their coverage..."
Clean Power Plan May Still Get Hearing
Enviros want Clean Power Plan to get day in court. The Hill: "Environmentalists and Democratic states are fighting the Trump administration’s request that a federal appeals court put on hold its case ... Environmental groups led by the Environmental Defense Fund told the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that delay 'would have the effect of improperly suspending the rule without review by any court...' ... [The appeals court] could issue a ruling any day..."
Sen. Joe Manchin tries to save health benefits and pensions for coal miners in government funding bill. Roll Call: "Manchin said the Democratic caucus remained '1000-percent behind me.' ... Manchin and other supporters of the miners want long-term solutions for both health care needs and previously guaranteed pension benefits ... President Donald Trump made his support for miners in coal country in places like West Virginia and Pennsylvania a key to his 2016 White House run, but GOP leadership has not addressed the pension issues."
Bipartisan duo introduces carbon capture bill. The Hill: "The bill, from Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) would open up new financing opportunities for carbon capture energy projects by letting companies use tax-exempt bonds issued by state and local governments to fund for them ... President Trump has said he wants to expand 'clean coal' as president, something that supporters say can be accomplished by increasing the use of carbon capture technology."
Breakfast Sides
WH official backs Glass-Steagall. Bloomberg: "In a private meeting with lawmakers, White House economic adviser Gary Cohn said he supports a policy that could radically reshape Wall Street’s biggest firms by separating their consumer-lending businesses from their investment banks ... The remarks surprised some senators and congressional aides who attended the Wednesday meeting ... Many banking executives believed that the inclusion of former finance executives like Cohn in Trump’s White House would temper major changes such as a Glass-Steagall return. But his Wednesday remarks suggest he could be a wildcard should Congress get serious about reinstating the law. White House officials haven’t said what an updated version of Glass-Steagall might look like."
FDA nominee poised for confirmation despite conflicts. NYT: "Democrats tried to raise doubts that the nominee could be objective after earning hundreds of thousands of dollars as an investor in and consultant to pharmaceutical, biotechnology and health care companies ... Dr. [Scott] Gottlieb wrote five years ago that the drug agency sometimes displayed an 'unreasonable hunger for statistical certainty' and that its staff was sometimes too cautious in reviewing new drug applications."
Homeland Security chief scales back wall. LAT: "'It's unlikely that we will build a wall or physical barrier from sea to shining sea,' Kelly testified before the Senate Homeland Security Committee ... Kelly said many aspects of the wall remained uncertain, including the cost and the structure. Some estimates have put the cost from $12 billion to $38 billion ..."
Judge snubs Trump WH on police reform. NYT: "A federal judge refused on Wednesday to delay a hearing on a proposed agreement to overhaul the Baltimore Police Department, calling the Trump administration’s request a 'burden and inconvenience.' The Justice Department had asked for a delay earlier this week, saying it needed time to review the plan ..."
