It’s Monday. The National Park Service started everyone's week out on a great note with its post this morning. The alternate text for the photo reads, “A prairie dog at Devils Tower National Monument sits with legs spread and a blank expression on its face as it contemplates the email they sent on Friday where they forgot to ‘attach’ the attachment…again.” 💀💀

• President Biden announced an executive order on the emerging risks of artificial intelligence (AI). He’s delivering remarks around 2:30 p.m.
• For National Candy Corn Day, I’ve included D.C. lawmakers’ hot takes on the controversial candy. Let’s just say I’m ordering candy corn, peanuts and M&Ms today…
• Remembrances of “Friends” star Matthew Perry are flooding in after he died this weekend.

I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here.  

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The House returns on Wednesday to an urgent legislative backup, including a potential government shutdown after Nov. 17, after losing nearly a month of precious time while clashing over the Speaker.

'Are we in the clear yet?' 🎵: Hard-line conservatives are planning to give Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) some breathing room to get settled into the role. He is jumping in the deep end, with the annual end-of-the-year legislative sprint that happens around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

‘Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?’: Some Republicans now recognize their strategy was unsuccessful — Freedom Caucus members played hardball with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) at every step. One Freedom Caucus member, Rep. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), has acknowledged the constant resistance didn’t result in legislative wins for conservatives. Instead, McCarthy cut a deal with President Biden to raise the debt ceiling and then worked with Democrats to keep the government open last month. It's worth reading Emily Brooks and Mychael Schnell’s reporting on conservatives stepping back to allow Johnson to govern.

Johnson is hitting the ground running: Speaker Johnson and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) are entering a showdown over emergency funding for Ukraine and Israel — as well as keeping the government open after Nov. 17. How this could play out

Yes, I am still fully in ‘1989’ mode. 😘

It’s Resolution Week, basically: For example:

• A resolution on whether to boot Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from Congress
• A resolution to condemn support for Hamas and Hezbollah on college campuses
• Whether to censure Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), which is viewed as a tit-for-tat politically.
• The House will consider a stand-alone bill to give aid to Israel.

Explainers for each, from The Hill’s Mychael Schnell

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*Starts humming the “Westworld” intro* — though, my hot take is that the opening credits were, by far, the best part of that show. 😬

President Biden issued an executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) this morning, focusing on protecting safety, privacy and innovation as the technology rapidly emerges.

What is his executive order exactly?: “The executive order includes new standards for safety, including requiring companies developing models that pose a serious risk to national security, economic security or public health to notify the federal government when training the model, and they must share the results of all safety tests. The Commerce Department will also develop guidance for content authentication and watermarking to label AI-generated content.”

More on what the order does, via The Hill’s Alex Gangitano

Watch Biden’s 2:30 p.m. announcement

“Israeli troops and tanks attacked Gaza's main northern city from both sides on Monday, three days after they began a major ground offensive in the Palestinian enclave that has drawn more international calls for civilians to be protected.”

“Israel's military said it had struck more than 600 militant targets over the past few days as it expanded ground operations in the Gaza Strip, where Palestinian civilians are in dire need of fuel, food and clean water as the war enters its fourth week.” (Reuters)

From the weekend: ‘Near-total internet and cellular blackout hits Gaza as Israel ramps up strikes’: NBC News

 ^ That’s what the co-creators of “Friends” said in response to actor Matthew Perry’s death over the weekend. (Entertainment Weekly) 😔

There are no signs of foul play, the Los Angeles Police Department told The New York Times.

Here are remembrances from his friends and colleagues in Hollywood: The Los Angeles Times

Former Vice President Mike Pence dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on Saturday after failing to find his footing in the crowded field, which has been dominated by his estranged former boss, former President Trump. (The Hill)

The Hill’s Ella Lee writes, “Michael Cohen once said he’d take a bullet for Donald Trump. But the drastic change between then and now was made apparent when the onetime fixer and personal attorney testified last week as a key witness in the fraud trial that could take down Trump’s business empire.”

Lee has some great nuggets and details — too bad there’s no video footage!: “When Cohen first entered the courtroom, former President Trump stared straight ahead, not sparing him a glance. Cohen strode past Trump and his team, only peering their way before taking a seat at the witness stand.” (The Hill)

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The news has been heavy this last month, so to mix things up, I’ve been asking Washington, D.C. lawmakers about their favorite Halloween candy, as well as their least favorites and unpopular opinions.

I’ve been including a few responses in each edition of The Hill’s 12:30 Report through Halloween, along with my personal commentary, snark and sassy judgment as I see fit. 😉

Today happens to be National Candy Corn Day, so let’s get into some hot takes:

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) all love candy corn.

But Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) thinks candy corn is “disgusting.” Lol. For what it’s worth, Bacon’s favorite candy is Snickers, which I have the utmost respect for. — 9/10

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) prefers when candy corn is “mixed with dry roasted peanuts and M&Ms.” — I cannot judge this properly until I try it. I will report back. Has anyone else tried this combo??

Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.): Spanberger’s favorite is candy corn, but “specifically not the pumpkin-shaped candy corn. She is a fan of the original, tricolor, kernel-style candy corn.” — I have SO much respect for this detailed preference, but pumpkin-shaped candy corn is also delicious!! 6/10

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.)’s favorite candy is Milky Way. She also does not like candy corn. — Yes, a classic. 7/10

Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) loves Tootsie Rolls and hates candy corn. But get this: Kim’s least favorite is Blow Pops. — Tootsie Rolls over Blow Pops?!

I have to mention: While copy editing today’s edition of the 12:30 Report, The Hill’s Brandon Wilken weighed in — and he did not hold back lol. “Candy corn is an abomination. It’s neither candy nor corn! It’s just flavored wax! And not even a good flavor!” Bruuuuutal.

Note to Hill staffers — If I haven’t talked to your office yet, shoot me an email me with your boss’s favorite Halloween candy! I’ll include it in the next round of 'Cate Judges Lawmakers’ Candy Preferences.' 😉 cmartel@thehill.com 

And note to readers — Feel free to let me know if you agree with my assessment! ;)

🌽 Celebrate: Today is National Candy Corn Day!

🥐 A D.C. bakery worth trying: “This D.C. bakery opens just 3 days a week. Its croissant line forms early.” The pastries at Nino’s Bakery look insanely good. Photos and address from The Washington Post

👻 Halloween is a bit strange when you think about it: The Atlantic’s Elizabeth Bruenig writes how her daughter asked what the hexagon box was in a stack of Halloween stickers. “I told her [a coffin] was a special box dead people are buried in (thus its presence among the skulls). She put the sticker set on her stack of keepers.”

“I was pleased she had taken the news about coffins and skulls so smoothly. This is the peculiar magic of Halloween, the dizzying juxtaposition of the genuinely frightening with whimsy and make-believe. If most major holidays commemorate particular events (think Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July), Halloween memorializes the occasion of death.” (The Atlantic)

🌨️ A prediction for this winter: “A strengthening El Niño could help make for a winter that is wet and stormy for California and Florida, mild and dry from the Northwest to the Great Lakes, and snowy at times across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.” (The Washington Post)

👁️ Stop using these 26 over-the-counter eye drops: The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that multiple brands of eye drops can lead to vision loss. (WHTM)

The Senate is in. The House is out. President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. (all times Eastern)

• 2:30 p.m.: Biden and Harris deliver remarks on artificial intelligence. 📺 Livestream
• 3 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre national Security Council spokesperson John Kirby brief reporters. 📺 Livestream
• 3:30 p.m.: Harris ceremonially swears in the President's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement in the U.S. 📺 Livestream
• 5:30 p.m.: Biden and first lady Jill Biden host trick-or-treating at the White House. 📺 Livestream

Because you made it this far, here are panda bears generally causing a ruckus. 

Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com. A friend forward this to you? Subscribe here.

View past issues of 12:30 Report here and check out other newsletters from The Hill here. See you next time!