The Archive

EVENTS

Our final July events are here! Join us in-person or virtually at these engaging conversations and stay tuned for more events in the fall.

TODAY: Our conversation on the chips shortage with Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves begins at 9 a.m. RSVP here to join us in person or on the livestream!

TOMORROW: Tune in for our virtual conversation with Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) about the importance of privacy and security in new and existing technologies. It’s the first event in our new series, “Building Trust in Technology.” RSVP here!

CHIPS!

Senate ready to take big step on CHIPS – finally

If you have been waiting at the edge of your seat for the CHIPS-Plus bill to advance, you’re not alone. We are with you. Today is the day.

At around 11 a.m. this morning, the Senate will hold a cloture vote on the CHIPS-Plus bill. This vote was supposed to be Monday evening, but flights were delayed at Washington Reagan National Airport and Washington Dulles International and senators had a tough time getting into town.

We don’t expect any surprises here that could derail the $280 billion package. Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), one of the chief GOP architects of the bill, put it this way:

There are up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate, but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and GOP supporters of the legislation hope to get a time agreement to speed up the process and move quickly to final passage. This will, as always, rely on cooperation from senators opposed to the bill.

There had been some concerns that a Covid-19 outbreak in the Senate and other health issues may cost Schumer some votes, but Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) has gotten out of quarantine and is available.

If the Senate passes CHIPS-Plus this week, we expect the House to take it up in the coming days.

Schumer also filed cloture Monday on the PACT Act, a bill that would allow veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during their military service to receive VA health care and benefits. This would set up a cloture vote on Wednesday. Schumer hopes to be able to pass this bill before the Senate leaves on Thursday. You thought they’d stay Friday? Come on.

Related: SK Group, a South Korean conglomerate, will announce a $22 billion investment in U.S. manufacturing. President Joe Biden will hold a virtual meeting with the chair and principal owner of the company.

– Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan

POLICE FUNDING

House leaders push ahead on police funding package

House Democratic leaders are working furiously behind the scenes to shore up support for a package of gun control and police funding bills with hopes of voting later this week.

The House returns this afternoon. So the next 24 hours will be critical for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team as they determine which bills have enough support to clear the House with Democrats’ slim four-vote margin.

The House Rules Committee will meet Wednesday to consider several of these bills, as we detailed first for our subscribers in our Midday edition Monday.

But leadership has still not finalized the text of several of the bills. House Democrats are working behind the scenes with Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to shore up accountability language they hope will bring the Congressional Black Caucus on board.

Right now, it’s unclear what the police funding package will entail exactly. What we do know is Pelosi has been pushing hard for the vote.

And many vulnerable Democrats are desperate to tout the bills on the campaign trail to counter GOP claims that they’re “soft on crime.” Remember, Frontline Democrats have been pushing leadership for months on these bills, as we’ve covered extensively.

Here’s what’s under consideration:

The House Rules Committee will also take up the assault weapons ban and a bill from Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) removing civil liability protections for gun manufacturers on Wednesday.

Right now, top House Democrats say they’re “close” to having the votes to pass the assault weapons ban later this week but it’s very tight. Remember, Democrats can only lose four votes unless they pick up some Republicans.

Democratic Reps. Ron Kind (Wis.), Kurt Schrader (Ore.), Jared Golden (Maine), Henry Cuellar (Texas) and Vicente González (Texas) are all expected to oppose the assault weapons ban. Democratic leaders are hoping to pick up one or two Republicans – such as Reps. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) and Chris Jacobs (N.Y.) – to pass the bill.

As of last night, the bill dealing with gun manufacturers’ liability also didn’t have the votes to clear the House, according to multiple Democratic aides. And Democrats aren’t sure if they’ll get there. Right now it depends on how much energy they have to expend to round up the votes for some or all of the police funding bills.

— Heather Caygle

Last night we hosted a Cocktails & Conversations event focused on The Punch Up, Punchbowl News’ ESG platform, at the Sazerac House. We were joined by leaders in the racial equity and sustainability spaces. Isaac Reyes, senior vice president of risk management and government affairs at Target, and Punchbowl News CEO Anna Palmer spoke to the crowd about the importance of The Punch Up and the ongoing work of the platform. Learn more and stay up to date on The Punch Up here. A big thanks as always to Elizabeth Wise and Laura Pinsky of Sazerac for their continued partnership with this event series.

Raising a glass: Maia Hunt Estes of Invariant, Austin Spindler of PwC, Stacy Day of Mastercard, Keenan Austin Reed of Alpine Group, Chibundu Nnake of NetApp, Lindsay Singleton of Rokk Solutions, Paul Thornell of Mehlman Castagnetti, Erica Harris of the Public Affairs Council, Marissa Mitrovich of Frontier, Marissa Mahoney of the National Association of Investment Companies, Brandy Jackson of the American Investment Council, and Cristina Antelo of Ferox Strategies.

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY

Mary Tyler March joins Punchbowl News

We’re super excited to announce that Punchbowl News has hired its first product manager — Mary Tyler March. MT (as we refer to her) was most recently strategic planning editor at WAMU. She has a journalism background with an intersection of news product. She grew up in North Carolina and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill. We are thrilled to have her join our team.

Interested in joining our team? We’re currently interviewing for a financial services reporter to join our growing editorial team. Apply here.

THE CAMPAIGN

“The presidential primary calendar should start with a state that looks like America, reflects our party’s priorities, and embodies our nation’s rich diversity. Nevada moving to first on the Democratic nominating calendar will demand future presidential candidates spend more time and invest more resources talking to Latino voters early,” BOLD PAC Chair Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said.

The Democratic National Committee’s Rules and Bylaws Committee will meet in August to finalize the early voting order for the party’s 2024 presidential primaries. While it appears likely the party will ditch Iowa’s caucus, representatives from New Hampshire are fiercely defending the state’s first-in-the-nation primary status.

— Max Cohen and Jake Sherman

MOMENTS

9:30 a.m.: President Joe Biden will get his daily intelligence briefing.

2 p.m.: Biden will meet virtually with the chairman of the SK Group. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo will join.

3:15 p.m.: Karine Jean-Pierre and Brian Deese will brief.

5 p.m.: Biden will join the House Disabilities Caucus to mark the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

CLIP FILE

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Politico

Chicago Tribune