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August 13, 2024
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THE TOP
Why the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s paralysis is worsening
Happy Tuesday morning.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is at a standstill, with no end in sight to a partisan dispute that’s putting Democrats in a bind.
One of the Senate’s most storied committees hasn’t been able to take up vital nominations and legislation for nearly four months amid a GOP effort to force the Democratic-controlled panel to consider an Israel-related measure.
We first told you in June about the committee’s dysfunctional state and the reasons for it. It stems from Republicans’ demand that the panel vote on House GOP-drafted legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court. Senate Democrats want to pursue a different bill. The ICC’s top prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants for top Israeli officials over the war in Gaza with Hamas.
Since then, the Foreign Relations Committee’s paralysis has only worsened, with nominees for critical ambassadorships piling up, unable to be sent to the Senate floor for confirmation. Democrats say this is directly harming U.S. national security in areas of the world where China is prioritizing its diplomatic engagement.
The impact: Around a dozen nominees — mostly for career ambassadorships — have been ready for formal approval in the committee, some for several months. An additional 24 nominees whose vetting files have been completed are awaiting their confirmation hearings, although some haven’t met yet with committee staff, the final step before a hearing.
That’s in addition to the dozen-plus pieces of legislation that are stalled inside the committee. The list includes bills that are GOP and Democratic priorities alike.
“There comes a point in time you’ve got to vote, you’ve got to bring [the nominations] up. And if you’re trying to hold them for leverage, I don’t want any part of that,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) told us.
What the leadership thinks: The logjam started earlier this summer when House Republican leaders pushed through an ICC sanctions bill, garnering dozens of House Democratic votes in the process. This prompted Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to vow to pursue a bipartisan path in the Senate.
But Sen. Jim Risch (Idaho), the Foreign Relations Committee’s top Republican, demanded that the panel take up the House bill or similar legislation. As we first reported, Risch’s staff told Cardin’s team that Republicans won’t consent to a committee-wide business meeting otherwise.
This is a big deal because the Foreign Relations Committee operates on comity, which means markups aren’t scheduled until both sides agree on the agenda.
Cardin said he’s hopeful that the panel will be able to convene for a business meeting when senators return from recess in September, but that’s far from guaranteed.
“Ben is trying to get this done in a bipartisan way,” Schumer told us in a recent interview. “He’s willing to compromise. I want to get something done on ICC. I’ve hated the ICC forever because I’ve always thought they’re vehemently anti-Israel.”
We asked Schumer if it’s worth putting the House-passed ICC sanctions bill on the next business meeting agenda if only to allow nominations to get through. Schumer wouldn’t commit either way.
“I’ve never seen this before, these right-wing people hold up nominations and tie the government’s hands in knots because they don’t exactly get their way,” Schumer said.
Even though the House GOP bill won bipartisan support, the Biden administration opposes it and most Hill Democrats believe it goes too far in undercutting the ICC. They argue it would force the United States to sanction allies who are party to the ICC. Like Israel, the United States isn’t a signatory to the international agreement behind the ICC.
For his part, Schumer has had to deal with nomination blockades more than any other majority leader in modern history. This latest GOP challenge is slightly more tame in terms of the raw numbers, but it has had the added effect of paralyzing one of the Senate’s oldest committees.
“China continues to prioritize their diplomatic engagement, their ambassadors, around the world,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who’s primed to take over as the panel’s top Democrat in the next Congress. “And yet, we can’t get our ambassadors approved — even the career ambassadors.”
Cardin’s posture: Cardin, who’s retiring at the end of this Congress, is an old-school pol who’s loath to get himself involved in partisan spats. But his anger here is palpable.
“I don’t talk publicly about our discussions. I know that’s not always true on the other side, I recognize that,” Cardin said. “I can assure you that we have moved to accommodate Sen. Risch in markups so that he could have votes on issues he cares about having votes on.”
More from Cardin:
— Andrew Desiderio
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THE HOUSE
Pascrell is back in the hospital. What that means for the House
New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell is back in the hospital and it’s sparking questions as to whether he’ll run for reelection in November.
The 87-year-old Pascrell was discharged from the hospital earlier this month after a nearly month-long stay for respiratory issues. Over the weekend, Pascrell was readmitted to a hospital in the Garden State.
Pascrell is one of the oldest members of Congress. He has served in the House since 1997, earning a plum seat on the Ways and Means Committee. Although he’s quite spry when healthy, sources close to Pascrell and House Democratic leadership sources say that the recent health setbacks have been alarming.
There’s a political clock ticking for Pascrell. Although his office says he isn’t retiring and will run for reelection, senior House Democrats are not so sure. Pascrell has until Aug. 27 to get off the ballot so that he can be replaced by another Democrat.
Pascrell’s district, which is anchored in Paterson, N.J., has been solidly Democratic. President Joe Biden won the seat by 19 points in 2020. Pascrell is facing Republican Billy Prempeh for the second straight election cycle. Pascrell topped Prempeh by 11 points in 2020.
— Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan
LEGISLATIVE TRACKER
Torres wants to enhance Secret Service security measures
News: Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) is introducing a bill today that would require the United States Secret Service to establish a perimeter of at least 500 yards around public events to protect from weapons like the AR-15, as well as secure all elevated positions within firing range.
The proposal comes on the one-month anniversary of the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump at a Butler, Pa., rally. An AR-15, the most popular assault rifle in the country, was used in the July 13 incident.
Torres’ bill would prompt the USSS to establish a 500-yard minimum perimeter and allow the agency to extend that perimeter if needed in certain environments. Current law doesn’t require the Secret Service to do so.
Torres has also previously introduced a bill with Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) that seeks to strengthen Secret Service protections for Trump, President Joe Biden and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The attack on Trump, which injured the former president and left two people dead, including the shooter, led to bipartisan scrutiny over flaws in Secret Service security protocols.
Trump’s shooter opened fire with an AR-15-style rifle while standing on the roof of a shed near where the former president was speaking. The shooter was roughly 400 feet, or less than 150 meters, away from Trump.
Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned after a disastrous appearance before the House Oversight Committee last month.
The House is currently investigating Trump’s attack through its newly established bipartisan task force. We wrote about its latest plans on Monday.
— Mica Soellner
PRESENTED BY PHRMA
IRA price setting could have unintended consequences like higher costs and disruptions in Medicare coverage.
WOLVERINE STATE
New Scholten ad seeks to reach independents
First in Punchbowl News: Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) has a new television ad highlighting her generations-long West Michigan roots as the Frontliner tries to woo independent voters in the battleground district.
The ad, titled “Traditions,” details how Scholten’s “faith and family” drove her interest in public service. The six-figure ad will air on cable this week and go up on broadcast networks next week.
“I’m a Democrat — a pro-choice Democrat — who’s running an ad about sitting down at the table, grabbing her family’s hands and praying,” Scholten told us Monday. “That is very real and very authentic. It’s something that people here are really missing because they feel like the Republican Party has abandoned them. They feel like Trump has abandoned them.”
Scholten flipped Michigan’s 3rd District in 2022, becoming the first Democrat to hold the seat since 1990. Scholten is also the first Democrat in 50 years from the district that includes the city of Grand Rapids.
The freshman is facing GOP candidate Paul Hudson, a Grand Rapids area lawyer, in November.
Hudson won his primary against entrepreneur Michael Markey Jr. last week. Hudson was boosted through a super PAC launched by his wealthy brother Ryan Hudson, who co-founded the company Honey.
As of now, Scholten continues to have a significant fundraising advantage. FEC reports show she has more than $2.4 million cash on hand. Hudson has a little over $300,000.
Scholten is hoping to reach a key voting bloc, which includes split ticket and independent voters who don’t always fit neatly with either political party.
Michigan will be one of the closely-watched states ahead of November with both presidential campaigns making a play for the critical swing state.
Vice President Kamala Harris held a rally in Detroit last week. GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) will be speaking near Grand Rapids this week. We spoke more with Scholten on Michigan’s impact on 2024 last week.
“There’s a lot of enthusiasm about Kamala Harris right now, a lot of fear about a second Trump presidency but also a lot of undecided voters,” Scholten said. “This is going to be a battleground, for sure.”
— Mica Soellner
THE CAMPAIGN
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has a new ad up in Florida’s 1st District — and it’s almost completely focused on his relationship with former President Donald Trump. Gaetz is facing Aaron Dimmock in the Aug. 20 primary. Gaetz is favored to win.
Two Democratic House candidates also have new ads promoting border security, as Republicans seek to paint Democrats as being weak on the border.
Michelle Vallejo, the Democrat challenging Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) for the 15th District seat, has a seven-figure television ad that will air today across the Harlingen, Texas, market. It is Vallejo’s first TV ad of the cycle.
Vallejo says in the ad that she’ll work across the aisle to add thousands of new border security agents while combating cartels and human trafficking.
Will Rollins, who is running against Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) in California’s 41st District also has a seven-figure digital ad targeting the incumbent’s votes on border bills.
Rollins hits Calvert over his votes not to fund border agents and refusal to sign on to various border security measures. Rollins also highlights his work as a prosecutor.
Calvert is one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the House.
The Tarheel State. Josh Stein, the attorney general of North Carolina who is running for governor, has a new ad up walloping GOP nominee Mark Robinson for his stance on abortion. The ad says that Robinson does not support exceptions for abortion in any case — and the spot includes a clip of Robinson saying that. North Carolina is turning into a swing state.
— Jake Sherman and Mica Soellner
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