Audible snort from Cornyn just now when asked about Trump nominating Matt Gaetz to AG
Samantha Handler
5,600 posts
Samantha Handler
@sn_handler
Washington, D.C.
Joined August 2012
- MURKOWSKI says she’s been hearing from constituents all morning on concerns about the funding freeze, cites a range of housing and infrastructure projects. Wouldn’t say if this affects how she’ll vote on Russ Vought’s nomination.
- Excited to announce that it's my first week @PunchbowlNews! I'll be anchoring a new policy newsletter, covering a number of different congressional committees. Add me to your press lists and say hello! [email protected]
- NEW: STEVE DAINES says he has the votes to kill Mike Lee’s public lands provision. Parliamentarian hasn’t yet ruled on reworked Lee proposal
- JOHNSON says he called THUNE this morning. Speaker says he was “very angry” about the provision in the funding package that allows senators to sue over phone seizure Johnson says House will repeal it on suspension
- SCOOP: The Senate Finance Committee iscirculating a memo that lays out a $15 billion stabilization fund for rural hospitals. The plan was sent around to GOP offices this morning. w/@AndrewDesiderio @LauraEWeiss16
- MCCORMICK is a no on the CR and says there’s at least 10 others with him. @reilly_cait asked if this endangers Johnson’s speakership. “Absolutely.” McCormick says he would not support Johnson right now.
- LAWLER on the new CR: “We have a very tight majority, which means that everybody is going to have to work together.” Yeah, we’ll see how that mentality goes when we get to taxes and SALT
- Collins says the shutdown may cause Acadia National Park to close and she’s been in touch with the park about it. Acadia is currently at the peak of its visitor season with many coming to see the fall foliage, she said.
- New: In the FY2026 Interior funding bill, there’s a provision that prevents any funds being used to rename the Denali mountain in Alaska. Trump wants to rename it to McKinley. That’s opposed by Murkowski, who lead the drafting of the Interior legislation.
- New: Epstein drama is leading into the Education and Workforce panel. Republicans pulled a human trafficking related bill and the panel is now in recess. Dem Reps. Bonamici and Ansari had planned to intro amendments on releasing the Epstein files.
- CHIP ROY says he will not vote on the rule tonight
- Doug Jones may be running the "best race a Democratic statewide candidate has run in 20 years," one Republican in the state said. Democrats & Republicans expect his race against ex-football coach Tommy Tuberville to be close, despite the polls. Via @BGOV about.bgov.com/news/republica…
