Greg Nash 

The Senate has officially begun their marathon vote-a-rama! Whoa, a daytime vote-a-rama happening during normal business hours? What a novelty!

Republican senators are on the verge of passing their budget reconciliation package to fund the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.

But first, they must make it through a grueling vote-a-rama that is meant to make Republicans take as many uncomfortable votes as possible. That started at 10:30 a.m.

How the vote-a-rama works: Senators from both parties can offer an unlimited number of amendments — with a quick opportunity for debate and vote. This process can stretch for many hours. Democrats will use this opportunity to force Republicans, particularly vulnerable Republicans, to vote on issues they’d rather steer clear of. This is the sixth “vote-a-rama” of this Congress (!)

The first vote: Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) offered an amendment to send the bill back to committee and ban the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund.” This vote stretched for nearly two hours. At this rate, we’re going to be here for DAYS.

💻 Watch the live vote-a-rama

💬 Follow today’s live blog

Lol: Journalist Jonathan Nicholson noted that “it's not a real vote-a-rama unless you're in a quiet press gallery at 3 a.m. pondering your life and career choices.”

Lol: “[Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)] brought text of what look like 2 amendments to the parliamentarian to review. He looks up to reporters above him in the gallery, remarks, ‘It’s almost like Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.’” (From NOTUS’s Igor Bobic)

Oh, hey there!: Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) 📸 was spotted on the Senate floor, chatting with her former colleagues during the first vote of the marathon session. Former Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) also stopped by. (h/t C-SPAN’s Craig Caplan and Punchbowl's Andrew Desiderio)

Happening in the House: The House Armed Services Committee is marking up the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today, which Politico’s K Tully-McManus points out is “just bicameral, self-inflicted pain exercises.” Lol.

📸 Food delivery to the Senate (photo from Roll Call’s Bill Clark)

President Trump signaled on Wednesday evening that he will nominate acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, to serve as his next attorney general.

How that differs from his current role: Blanche would serve in the role on a more permanent basis. That means he would need to be confirmed by the Senate.

👂Listen closely and you can hear a collective grunt coming from Senate Republicans: Blanche would likely face a tough confirmation battle. He has been the face of several recent controversial moves within the Trump administration, including the creation of the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” to pay MAGA allies. He fought with Republican senators over this fund in a private meeting last month. Oh, and Blanche oversaw the second indictment of former FBI Director James Comey, which has been perceived as politically motivated.

How his Senate confirmation would work: He would first need to be approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Republicans control 12-10. Then, he would need full Senate approval during which he can only afford three GOP “no” votes, assuming all Democrats vote against him.

Two more Republicans that could cause headaches for passing Trump’s priorities: Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.) and John Cornyn (Texas), both who were snubbed by Trump and lost their primaries, may be more willing to buck him now. Read more

^ Cornyn told CNN’s Manu Raju this morning that he has not decided whether he backs Blanche for attorney general.

💡 Keep in mind — Trump is putting Republicans in a really tough spot: Republicans want to focus on the economy and affordability. They have a tough battle coming up to keep control of the House and the Senate. But Trump has given them a string of tough distractions. Think: Ballroom funding, the $1.8 billion fund to pay MAGA allies and nominating a controversial director of national intelligence with no high-profile intel experience days before the important spy powers deadline. Now, he’s lobbing another tough demand for them to confirm Blanche as attorney general.  

The Trump administration has dropped the $1 billion ballroom funding request — and Blanche says the $1.8 billion fund is also dead — but the damage has been done.

Read more on how “Republicans have been thrown off-balance by President Trump’s focus on foreign policy, pet projects, and statements dismissing the importance of the midterms and cost-of-living issues.”

President Trump has told people close to him that he won’t resume an “all-our war with Iran” as long as U.S. troops aren’t killed, reports The Wall Street Journal.

“The president’s reluctance to reignite the war suggests he might be willing to withstand smaller flare-ups for weeks — or even months — to avoid a broader conflict in the Middle East.”

However: “Repeated strikes by Tehran ratchet up pressure on the president and cast doubt over the ceasefire’s long-term viability.”

Read more: ‘Trump Tells Aides He Won’t Resume All-Out War With Iran Unless U.S. Troops Are Killed’

The oil industry is warning the Trump administration that global energy prices may skyrocket in the next several weeks because the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, reports Politico.

— Trump is claiming that Democrats are “trying to steal” the elections in California because it will take days or weeks to count the votes.

— The Pentagon hired a convicted Jan. 6, 2021, rioter to work in sensitive special operations. The Washington Post dug up footage of him storming the U.S. Capitol.

— The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner has been rescheduled for July 24. Details are sparce, though.

The Economist: How to fight back against Gen-Z socialism: The me-first doctrine is a threat to prosperity  (📸 The cover )

CNN: Epstein’s final 9 months: How he plotted to escape justice as law enforcement closed in