The Archive

IN THIS EDITION

Introducing The Portal with Enbloc AI

The drama surrounding the House Foreign Affairs Committee race

The Vault: Chopra calls on Congress to reform deposit insurance

The DPCC race heats up

THE TOP

Introducing The Portal with Enbloc AI

Happy Monday morning.

News about Punchbowl News. Everything we do at Punchbowl News is done with you in mind. Every morsel of news, every word in every newsletter, every text alert, every special product and every event is aimed at informing and engaging those obsessed with legislative politics.

Now we have something new for you: The Portal with Enbloc AI.

Since Punchbowl News launched in 2021, we’ve heard consistently from our readers, friends, sources and partners that they aren’t happy with their data subscriptions. They pay thousands of dollars for confusing platforms that aren’t designed with the end user in mind.

That gave us — Jake, Anna, Bres and Rachel — an idea: Let’s create a data platform that changes the way Washington works, made with Washington in mind.

At the end of last year, we bought Electo Analytics, a congressional data startup. We then redesigned the entire platform, using our deep knowledge of what Capitol Hill and K Street need every single day. This became The Portal, which will include integrated news, congressional directories, legislative text, regulations, real-time alerts and much more. The Portal members will also receive a weekly Monday newsletter and a mid-week update to keep them ahead of the game when it comes to legislative news. (You can check out this week’s The Portal newsletter here.)

We also want to give you a sneak peek of Enbloc AI. Enbloc AI is a Punchbowl News-designed AI platform embedded in The Portal that brings together all of the databases that you use every day in Washington, overlaid with our news and proprietary Washington data. You can search within databases, across databases and more.

Looking for every time a certain member said a certain word on the House floor or in committee? How about a lobbyist who has given $20,000 to Democrats, $15,000 to Republicans and has lobbied on a certain bill? Or what if you need help surfacing potential donors for your boss in a certain city? Or do you want to know every time a certain progressive Democrat voted with a conservative Republican on a bill?

Enbloc AI uses natural language searches to help you do your job more quickly and efficiently. This will save you time, money and make you smarter and sharper.

Come January, Enbloc AI’s searches will be embedded in Punchbowl News newsletters. For example, at the end of an item, subscribers will be able to click a button and find out who donates to every person mentioned in the article. Or find key staffers who deal with an issue we’re reporting on. These rich data integrations will bring our news to life while opening up new insights into how the federal government really works.

Enbloc AI was designed by all four founders, with critical help from Dave Clarke and the entire newsroom. Underlying this whole effort is to use our combined knowledge of how Washington works and put that to work in an AI platform.

The great thing about this is we designed it for you. We know you. And we know how you work. You see us in the Capitol, downtown and everywhere you go. The Portal with Enbloc AI will be an evolving platform. Built for you. At a price you can afford.

This will change the way Washington works. Get started here.

On Johnson and Democrats. We have two issues we want to discuss this morning.

No. 1: Speaker Mike Johnson said on “Fox News Sunday” that he prefers a short-term, three-month CR to fund the federal agencies into next year. This is a minority position on Capitol Hill, although we telegraphed Johnson’s preference previously. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise wants a series of minibuses to fund the government through September, as do House and Senate GOP appropriators.

But Johnson said his approach would give President-elect Donald Trump and Hill Republicans a greater say over FY2025 spending bills.

For Trump, this could turn into a repeat of 2017. Hill Republicans dragged their feet on a spending deal at that time, and the appropriations bills weren’t finished until May. The delay could also impact Trump’s “100-day” agenda. Although that’s already in jeopardy on the Hill anyway.

Johnson, however, wants to avoid the messy floor fight spending bills with his conservative flank in late December. Especially when he faces a floor vote over serving as speaker on the opening day of the 119th Congress, a vote that the Louisiana Republican will need Trump’s help for anyway.

No. 2. Trump is facing a huge public uproar over his nominations of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Robert F. Kennendy Jr. and Pete Hegseth for top administration posts. Even as Senate Republicans have raised objections to some or all four Trump picks, top Senate Democrats have largely kept “strategically silent” on the controversies.

With Trump heading toward a possible collision with Senate Republicans over these nominations and recess appointments, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Senate Democrats see no reason to wade into the fight. The same goes for government funding. “Republicans have made this mess, they have to clean it up,” said one Democratic insider.

— Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan

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FUTURE LEADERS

The drama surrounding the House Foreign Affairs Committee race

The race for the House Foreign Affairs Committee gavel is heating up after its current chair officially bowed out following an alcohol-related airport incident, setting off a four-way scramble to lead the panel.

Running for the post are GOP Reps. Ann Wagner (Mo.), the vice chair of the panel and a former ambassador to Luxembourg; Darrell Issa (Calif.), who previously chaired the House Oversight Committee; Brian Mast (Fla.), who was previously floated for secretary of Veterans Affairs; and Joe Wilson (S.C.), co-chair of the Ukraine caucus and the panel’s No. 3 in seniority.

This race could help determine whether Republicans have any elected women committee chairs next year. There are currently only two GOP women chairs, but one is retiring (Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State) and the other is term-limited. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) is in the running for House Rules chair, which is appointed by the speaker. Retiring Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) gave up the gavel at the Appropriations Committee earlier this year.

The HFAC contenders have been working the phones and making their case to key colleagues. They’ll give formal presentations to the GOP Steering Committee during the first week of December.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who is term-limited in the role, announced Friday he wouldn’t seek a waiver to stay on as chair, citing respect for the conference rules. The decision came days after NBC News reported that McCaul was briefly detained by police at an airport after appearing drunk. The Texas Republican’s office said McCaul wasn’t arrested and added that the veteran lawmaker was just disorientated from mixing Ambien and alcohol to help him sleep on the flight.

Even before the incident, sources say McCaul was unlikely to receive a waiver, with leadership wary of granting those to anyone. But as word of the airport episode spread, senior GOP sources said it helped guarantee that no waiver would be granted for McCaul.

The Trump factor: The next chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee will play a key role during a critical moment in global affairs. President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed doubt about continued U.S. support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, wants to rebalance American alliances and could set off an international trade war.

McCaul was a steadfast supporter of Ukraine aid. But some of the Republican candidates to succeed him have sought to align themselves closely with Trump.

Mast, a Trump ally, frequently visits Mar-a-Lago and spent a lot of time campaigning with Trump in Michigan and Pennsylvania this cycle. Mast also voted against Ukraine aid earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Issa told us he agreed with Trump’s efforts to work on a peace deal to avoid having an “endless war” in Ukraine. The California Republican touted his longtime support of Trump, although others have noted Issa voted against Trump’s 2017 tax cut package. Issa visited Mar-a-Lago a few days after the election.

“I’ve been a solid supporter of the president all along,” Issa told us. “I campaigned for him in 2016 when I was in a Hillary +11 seat and I campaigned for him again this time.”

Some members have raised concerns about Wagner’s past criticism of Trump. The Missouri Republican sharply condemned Trump’s comments about women during his first presidential run in 2016 and supported censuring Trump’s rhetoric in 2021 shortly after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

But as the only woman running for a committee gavel, that could give Wagner a boost. She’s also close with some members of the House GOP leadership who have outsized influence on the race. Trump endorsed Wagner’s reelection this year and she has done rallies for the incoming president.

Wilson could also run into trouble from the MAGA wing over his strong support for aiding Ukraine.

“I’ve been a surrogate for President Trump,” Wilson said. “We need to back up the president’s agenda and policies. And I feel very comfortable doing that.”

— Mica Soellner and Melanie Zanona

DEM DRAMA

The DPCC race heats up

The race to become House Democrats’ chief messenger is exposing a generational divide between the party’s old guard and new, social media-savvy members on how to win back voters after this November’s disappointment.

Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), a 70-year-old senior member who took over the position last year, is facing an unexpected, eleventh-hour challenge by Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), a 43-year-old freshman.

“I do think whoever’s chair of the DPCC needs to have experience at being a co-chair, understanding you got to work with leadership, who your staff is, how you include the co-chairs, and how you communicate with the caucus,” Dingell told us.

Dingell served as a DPCC co-chair in 2018 and 2020 but was term-limited out. There’s currently an open co-chair position, for which Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) is running. The co-chair position is a more junior position compared to the chair.

And Crockett’s bid to go after a high-ranking position as a junior lawmaker has raised some eyebrows in the caucus among senior Democrats. One member described such a move as “very unusual.”

Crockett, who has quickly risen on the national stage, argues she’s an effective communicator who is the best fit for the position. Crockett added that Dingell has already served two terms as co-chair and the party should allow for a fresh perspective.

“You’re talking about people that haven’t had a chance to really fully develop and show the caucus what all they can do,” Crockett told us. “This was the best space I can occupy to potentially really put that extra jolt in communications, and this is the post I am running for.”

Both contenders have been actively seeking the support of various caucuses and individual members, while Dingell is seen by lawmakers as the strong favorite. Notably, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who declined to directly weigh in, said Dingell has done a “great job” and he’s worked closely with her as DPCC Chair.

Dingell said she’s contacted every member of the House Democratic Caucus either by phone, in person or via text. Crockett said she’s been working to sway key groups such as the Congressional Black Caucus and the Progressive Caucus — both of which she is a member.

If Crockett is elected, that would add another Black woman to the Democratic leadership table. Currently, DPCC co-chair Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) is the only Black woman serving in House Democratic leadership.

A larger issue for the DPCC is that many Frontline offices told us last week that they see the messaging arm as increasingly irrelevant. Vulnerable members often focus on hyper-local issues when speaking with constituents and view the caucus-wide DPCC information as out of touch.

— Mica Soellner and Max Cohen

… AND THERE’S MORE

Sheehy staffs up. Sen.-elect Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) has tapped Mike Berg as his new Senate chief of staff and Brooke Metrione as state director.

Berg has been the top communications aide for Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) at the NRSC this cycle. Berg also worked for now House Majority Whip Tom Emmer when the Minnesota Republican chaired the NRCC and served on Sen. Josh Hawley’s (R-Mo.) staff.

Metrione was Sheehy’s deputy campaign manager. She previously worked as the top communications aide for Montana GOP Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Montana Republican Party. Metrione also served at the Department of Homeland Security.

“With Mike and Brooke leading the charge, our team will fight for Montanans every day, always put America First, and bring in a new generation of commonsense leadership,” Sheehy said in a statement announcing the hirings.

News: The most up-to-date DCCC dues report shows 68 non-Frontline House Democrats didn’t fulfill their allotted dues goals. The report is dated to the end of September.

Notably, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), who’s challenging Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) for DPCC chair, only paid 41% of her dues as of the end of September. Dingell paid 100% of her dues.

A total of 87 members paid more than 100% of their dues, while 29 paid exactly 100% of their dues.

— Max Cohen

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