August 6, 2025
PRESENTED BY
THE TOP
Gaza crisis deepens as members head to Israel
Happy Wednesday morning.
In Gaza, the more things change, the more they stay the same — horrible.
Back in March 2024, then-President Joe Biden — worried about a humanitarian crisis as Palestinian civilians suffered during the brutal war between Israel and Hamas — ordered U.S. airdrops of food into Gaza.
Biden also directed the Navy to spend hundreds of millions of dollars building a “floating pier” so that U.S. aid could go directly to Palestinians as Israeli forces blocked food deliveries. This project turned into a disaster.
Under pressure from rank-and-file Democrats, Biden — who hugged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to Israel following the Oct. 7 terror attack — blocked the transfer of some heavy U.S.-made bombs to Israeli forces as they invaded southern Gaza. Yet Biden greenlighted other huge weapons sales to the longtime U.S. ally.
Fast forward to now. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is even worse. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have died during the 22-month war. Famine and “widespread starvation” in Gaza are growing, according to the United Nations.
European and Arab nations are air-dropping food and other aid to beleaguered Palestinians. President Donald Trump may have the United States “take over” aid deliveries, according to Axios, even as new weapons sales to Israel are approved.
Ceasefire talks involving the United States, Israel and Hamas have broken down again, as they did repeatedly under Biden.
Although weakened by the long war, Hamas remains a threat. On Friday, the U.S.-designated terror group released a video of an emaciated Israeli hostage being forced to dig his own grave. The video sparked outrage among Israelis, and Netanyahu and other top officials are debating a new Israeli occupation of part or even all of Gaza.
When asked on Tuesday about this potentially significant move by Israel, Trump told reporters, “That’s pretty much going to be up to Israel.”
Members head to Israel: Amid this latest Gaza crisis, dozens of House members are heading to Israel.
Roughly 20 Democrats will travel to Israel today led by House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), one of Israel’s staunchest supporters among Hill Democrats.
A similar-sized GOP group is being led by House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, according to Jewish Insider. These trips are sponsored by AIPAC, the powerful pro-Israel organization.
The members are expected to meet with Netanyahu and opposition leader Yair Lapid, among other top Israeli officials.
Speaker Mike Johnson — a vocal Israel supporter — is currently leading a group of members to Israel as well. Johnson visited an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, calling it Israel’s “by right,” Israeli media reported. Johnson’s comments triggered an angry response from Palestinian officials, who denounced it as a “blatant violation of international law.”
Johnson is accompanied on this trip by GOP Reps. Michael McCaul (Texas), Michael Cloud (Texas), Claudia Tenney (N.Y.) and Nathaniel Moran (Texas). The trip is being sponsored by a group called the U.S. Israel Education Association. The USIEA “values the Judeo-Christian heritage and the historical and biblical significance of Israel,” its website states.
Israel’s standing in the U.S. Americans’ views on Israel — especially younger Americans — have never been more negative. And this latest Gaza crisis has only deepened the divide over Israel within the Democratic Party, in particular.
Support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has cratered overall. While a large majority of Republicans still back Israel’s efforts, just 8% of Democrats do, a recent Gallup poll showed. Support among independents is down to 25%. CNN reported similar results.
As we told you last week, 27 Senate Democrats voted for a resolution to block arms sales to Israel, which is more than half the Senate Democratic Caucus. Another resolution offered by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) received 24 votes. Previous resolutions always netted fewer than 20 votes.
Rep. Ro Khanna’s (D-Calif.) letter calling for recognition of a Palestinian state has attracted support from more than a dozen progressive House Democrats.
“Today, I am calling for the United States to officially recognize a Palestinian state,” Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) announced on Tuesday. Quigley described himself as “deeply horrified” by the looming famine in Gaza.
Democrats blame Trump and other GOP leaders for their unwavering support of Netanyahu’s policies, saying that has actually damaged Israel’s standing internationally. Trump and Republicans counter that they – not Democrats – are Israel’s true friends.
“This war would be over tomorrow if Hamas wanted the war to be over. They control the hostages. Give up the hostages, the war is over,” said Brian Romick, president and CEO of Democratic Majority for Israel and a former top House Democratic staffer.
“Two, since Oct. 7, Joe Biden was singularly focused on protecting Israel’s place in the world. Donald Trump has done none of that, and he ought to be working on it.”
– John Bresnahan
The Vault: Senate Dems hammer Obamacare cliff
First in Punchbowl News: Senate Democrats are pressing for new data on the fallout if boosted Obamacare subsidies are allowed to lapse at the end of the year.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) is leading a letter to Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms seeking fresh analysis on how increased rates for insurance on the Obamacare marketplace would impact options and affordability.
It’s the latest sign Democrats are gearing up for a major battle over the enhanced premium tax credits this fall.
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Democrats’ latest message. The new letter underscores exactly how Democrats are messaging the Obamacare cliff while lawmakers are home for the August recess. The Democrats tear into the One Big Beautiful Bill over its cuts to Medicaid and failure to extend the enhanced premium credits.
“While Republicans in the House and Senate chose to extend nearly $4 trillion in tax cuts to benefit the ultra-wealthy and big corporations, they did not extend enhanced premium tax credits that almost 20 million middle-class and working Americans rely on,” the Senate Democrats write.
Democrats are also tying the issue to other Trump administration moves. They’re pushing for more data on how President Donald Trump’s tariff policies could be impacting health insurers’ decisions to increase Obamacare plan rates.
Democrats have been railing against the president’s trade war for months, making it a focal point of their economic messaging.
The fight ahead. Fifteen Democrats joined Shaheen on the letter, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The top Democrats on the Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.), and the Appropriations Committee, Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), also signed on.
The Obamacare subsidies expire on Dec. 31, but open enrollment for coverage in 2026 begins Nov. 1. Backers of the enhanced premium tax credits feel urgency to get an extension beforehand to try to avoid price spikes. That puts a lot of pressure on the Sept. 30 government funding deadline.
A handful of GOP senators have come around to some form of an extension. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), Thom Tillis (N.C.) and Josh Hawley (Mo.) have all expressed interest.
There are still plenty of Republicans who oppose the subsidies and would, at the least, demand changes to make them cheaper and more limited. That could quickly become a sour deal for Democrats.
But Democrats will have leverage in the looming funding fight, which will take center stage when Congress returns in September.
— Laura Weiss
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THE LAST FRONTIER
Inside Murkowski’s pitch for the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’
Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s (R-Alaska) message so far on the One Big Beautiful Bill: wait for her legislative fix.
Murkowski’s first public stop back home for August recess was to the Alaska Native Health Board on Tuesday. While there, Murkowksi, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to calm fears about the impact of the GOP’s reconciliation law.
Murkowski has planned a slate of meetings around the state to help ease anxieties about Medicaid and SNAP provisions — measures that she had referred to as the law’s shortcomings.
The news conference held after the health board meeting offered the first taste of how OBBB skeptics like Murkowski are toeing the line on selling legislation they’ve criticized.
When asked about how Congress and the administration will address the high cost of healthcare in Alaska, Murkowski said she wants to extend the soon-expiring Obamacare premium tax credits. There’s a “legislative effort” to achieve that before the end of the year, she said.
“There are no direct cuts to Medicaid through this reconciliation bill, but if people get pushed off of Medicaid — whether it’s not being able to meet work requirements, failing to comply with that, the answer will be, we’ll move to the exchange,” Murkowski said. “But if the exchange is no longer affordable, then it doesn’t help people.”
Remember, that’s a momentous task for lawmakers to get done and not guaranteed.
The tough sell. Murkowski, Sullivan and Kennedy emphasized that the GOP reconciliation bill didn’t cut Medicare or Social Security, demonstrating another challenge for Republicans this recess. “If you’re explaining, you’re losing,” as the old adage in Washington goes.
Both Kennedy and Sullivan said the only cuts to Medicaid are in terms of “waste, fraud and abuse,” urging Alaskans to disregard claims otherwise.
Sullivan also touted the $50 billion rural hospital fund as a major win for Alaska. Sullivan said the fund gives Alaska a “big opportunity.”
The fund was originally added by senators who were concerned that rural hospitals might shutter because of Medicaid cuts included in the reconciliation bill. But that’s what this August recess is about: selling what you can.
“We are going to benefit very significantly over the next five years, in terms of our state, from that fund,” Sullivan said.
– Samantha Handler
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THE AD WARS
Unrig Our Economy airs new anti-Kean Medicaid ad
News: Liberal outside group Unrig Our Economy is spending $200,000 in a new ad buy going after GOP Rep. Tom Kean in New Jersey’s competitive 7th District.
In the ad, a Basking Ridge, N.J., mother named Theresa criticizes Kean for supporting the One Big Beautiful Bill. Theresa says she has two children with disabilities and “the support we get from Medicaid is paving the path for my sons to have futures.”
“Congressman Tom Kean said he would protect Medicaid, but he voted to cut it,” Theresa says in the ad. “I don’t know how Congressman Tom Kean can sleep at night, knowing that he voted to cut the future of thousands of his own constituents.”
Kean flipped a Democratic seat in 2022 and won reelection last cycle by six points.
Expect to see a lot more of this messaging in competitive districts as we approach the midterms. As we’ve reported, Unrig Our Economy is utilizing similar Medicaid arguments in ads running in Texas, Iowa and more.
GOP latest: Here’s a sign of how closely both parties are tracking Kean’s district: House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain is kicking off her nationwide campaign to sell the reconciliation package with Kean on Wednesday. McClain and Kean will meet with workers at Bihler of America in Phillipsburg, N.J., and tout the bill’s manufacturing policies.
McClain will head to Rep. Rob Bresnahan’s (R-Pa.) district later on Wednesday for a tour of the i2M factory in Mountain Top, Pa.
— Max Cohen
THE CAMPAIGN
News: Ryan Binkley, a pastor who ran a long-shot 2024 presidential campaign, is preparing a run for Congress in a potential new red district in North Texas, per a source familiar with his plans.
Binkley lives in northern Dallas County, where Republicans plan to anchor Texas’ 32nd District under their proposed new map. Binkley is a frequent GOP donor, founder of a non-denominational church and the CEO of a financial advisory firm.
In 2024, Binkley ran a short-lived presidential campaign before endorsing President Donald Trump. Binkley loaned himself more than $11 million for his bid and said he felt called by God to run for president.
The potential new district spans from Dallas County out east. Under the current lines, the district strongly favors Democrats and the incumbent is Rep. Julie Johnson (D-Texas).
Binkley is unlikely to have the GOP field to himself. Another name to watch: state Rep. Katrina Pierson, a spokesperson for Trump’s 2016 campaign.
– Ally Mutnick
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UnitedHealth Group capped out-of-pocket costs on over 290 drugs and saved patients nearly $2 billion last year. See how we’re making health care more affordable.
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