It’s Tuesday. Happy 45th Birthday, C-SPAN! We love you! Now, here’s what’s happening today:
- Congressional leaders agreed to a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)! Now, we just need them to write the text, pass it through two chambers and have Biden sign it by Friday. *Let me pause to catch my breath*
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Former President Trump posted a scathing message on Truth Social after his lawyers said he is unable to pay his $464 million bond tied to his civil fraud case in New York. His team asked 30 companies to underwrite the bond and they all said no.
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Georgia was a major reason why President Biden won in 2020. Well, there are some warning signs that he may not be able to recreate that outcome in 2024.
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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Ayyyyy, the last major piece of the puzzle!:
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Congressional leaders agreed to a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the rest of this year. That may sound minor, but the snags up until this point make it a pretty big development.
What I thought would happen: Congress has until Friday to fund the six remaining parts of the government. Lawmakers agreed to deals on five of those six components but couldn’t agree on DHS funding because it involves immigration — a partisan hot topic. Up until Monday evening’s deal, it looked like Congress would pass the five bills. And, to avert a shutdown, lawmakers would potentially pass an extension on the sixth.
What could happen now happen: Congress may pass all six bills. However, it will be a *very* tight timeline to pass those bills by Friday. Yes, the deal has been struck, but negotiators are still working on the text! 😅 Once the text is finalized, House Republicans have said they want at least 72 hours to review it. And Senate procedure could take days. Read more: ‘Lawmakers running out of time to prevent partial shutdown’
If lawmakers can’t pass the bills in time: The Washington Post has a helpful explainer on what this weekend’s partial government shutdown would look like. The holdup: Democrats wanted more funding for the Transportation Security Administration. Republicans wanted more money for immigration enforcement and migrant detention.
Breakdown: Funding the government means passing 12 funding bills. Together, they are called an omnibus. -
On March 8: Lawmakers passed bills to fund the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Commerce and Energy.
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What’s left?: Funding for DHS and the departments of Defense, State, Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and other priorities. Congress has until March 22 to pass these bills or the government will partially shut down.
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Just a casual half a billion dollars:
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➤ WHAT TRUMP HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT: |
Trump called the bond “unConstitutional” and “un-American.”
He posted on Truth Social: “A bond of the size set by the Democrat Club-controlled Judge, in Corrupt, Racist Letitia James’ unlawful Witch Hunt, is unConstitutional, un-American, unprecedented, and practically impossible for ANY Company, including one as successful as mine. The Bonding Companies have never heard of such a bond, of this size…” Read Trump’s full post
And Trump later said he’d have to hold a ‘fire sale’ to have cash: “I would be forced to mortgage or sell Great Assets, perhaps at Fire Sale prices, and if and when I win the Appeal, they would be gone. Does that make sense? WITCH HUNT. ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” Read the full post
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➤ READS RELATED TO THIS CASE: |
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‘Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away’: |
“The Supreme Court unanimously ruled Tuesday that a man’s challenge to his former placement on the No Fly List can move forward, finding the government failed to show his lawsuit is moot,” reports The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld.
Back story: “Yonas Fikre, a U.S. citizen who previously resided in Sudan, claimed his placement on the list was unlawful and sued the FBI. The government later removed him from the list and signaled it was unlikely he would be readded. It then contended Fikre’s lawsuit was moot as a result and should be tossed.” (The Hill)
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Trump is suing George Stephanopoulos: |
Former President Trump is suing ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos over his interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), a rape survivor who endorsed Trump.
Why?: Stephanopoulos asked her why she endorsed Trump, referencing recent verdicts against him in advice columnist E. Jean Carroll’s sexual battery and defamation lawsuits. Mace accused Stephanopoulos of trying to “shame” her. Trump says Stephanopoulos said he had been found “liable for rape,” when the jury found him liable for sexual abuse, not rape.
The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld wrote a helpful explainer on the case. | |
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Biden should be much more worried about Georgia than any national poll:
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President Biden flipped Georgia from red to blue in 2020, the first time that had happened in decades. In fact, Georgia played a pivotal role in helping the incumbent over the finish line in winning the presidency.
Well, The Hill’s Julia Mueller reports that Biden is facing some worrying signs in Georgia this year, including low turnout in the primary and a lack of other state races that could energize voters.
Read more: How this could play out in November
💡Why I said this matters more than any national poll: Biden’s approval ratings have been low for quite some time. And many national polls have former President Trump tied or leading. But key battleground states’ polls matter much more than any national poll. Elections aren’t won by the popular vote; They’re won by winning delegates in states. |
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🍫 Celebrate: Today is National Chocolate Caramel Day.
🐍 This was our most-read article this morning and I hate it here: A 500-pound mound of pythons was found in a Naples, Fla., marsh. Nope, nope, nope, nope. (The Hill) 🍼 ‘Don’t tell America. The babysitter’s dead’: The Atlantic’s Faith Hill writes how “for decades, sitting was both a job and a rite of passage. Now it feels more like a symbol of a bygone American era.”
📈 Imagine surge pricing for food at peak hours: Vox’s Whizy Kim writes how Uber’s style of pricing based on supply and demand is expanding to other industries. Wendy’s came under fire recently for adjusting prices based on demand. (Just to be clear, Wendy’s clarified that it would lower prices, but never raise them.) ‘Uber-style pricing is coming for everything’
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The House and Senate are in. President Biden is in Nevada and Arizona today. Vice President Harris is in Washington, D.C., with no public events scheduled. (all times Eastern) |
2:15 p.m.: Biden participates in a campaign event in the Reno-Tahoe area. He then leaves for Las Vegas. - 5:30 p.m.: A Senate confirmation vote. 🗓️ Today’s agenda
6 p.m.: Biden delivers remarks on lowering costs for American families. He then leaves for Phoenix. 6:30 p.m.: First and last House votes for the day. 🗓️ Today’s agenda
6:30 p.m.: NBC’s Lester Holt interviews FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker on “Nightly News.” 8:35 p.m.: Biden participates in a campaign event in the Phoenix area.
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