The Archive
Every issue of the Punchbowl News newsletter, including our special editions, right here at your fingertips.
Join the community, and get the morning edition delivered straight to your inbox.
Presented by Pharmaceutical Reform Alliance
Big Pharma hikes up drug prices every year, most recently on over 800 prescription drugs. But did you know these price hikes are often unjustified? For too long, Big Pharma has profited on the backs of hardworking Americans. Enough is enough.
PRESENTED BY

THE TOP
Secret Service puts new funding problem on Congress’ lap

Happy Tuesday morning.
The federal government shuts down in 14 days. Congress is struggling to avoid a funding lapse. And now, in the wake of a second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, Capitol Hill is being forced to reckon with a Secret Service that says it’s underfunded, understaffed and unprepared to fully carry out its dignitary protective duties.
In private meetings with lawmakers and aides, the Secret Service has been making the case that it desperately needs more than the $3 billion Congress sent it in FY2024. There’s disagreement among lawmakers at the moment as to whether the Secret Service needs more money or simply new leadership.
Trump added fuel to the fire Monday evening. During a session on X, the Republican presidential nominee said “We do need more people on my detail.”
These concerns — that the Secret Service needs more assistance — had surfaced even before the most recent threat on Trump’s life.
During a briefing last week, acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe emphasized to members of the House’s bipartisan task force investigating the July 13 Trump shooting that the budget is strained and staffing levels remain a huge issue for the agency, according to multiple sources familiar with the presentation.
Lawmakers responded to Rowe that the bipartisan task force briefing — part of which was classified and took place in a secure setting — was neither the place nor the correct committee to make a pitch for more resources.
A similar message was delivered to key congressional aides during informal briefings Monday. Secret Secret officials told staff that the agency is going to need more personnel in order to keep Trump safe between now and November, especially given the increasingly complex threat environment.
Committee aides added that since the July 13 shooting in Butler, Pa., Secret Service officials have dramatically increased their communication with Congress.
Rowe said in a Sept. 5 letter to the top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security that the agency needs more funding, though he added that inadequate resources were not the cause of the security failures in July.
“Success, we have to have it every day. We cannot have failures,” Rowe said at a news conference Monday. “And in order to do that, we’re going to have some hard conversations with Congress.”
The pleas for more Secret Service resources come as Congress is still devising a stop-gap plan to fund the federal government. Top lawmakers — including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Maine) — have said they may need to add a Secret Service funding boost to the CR if the Department of Homeland Security requests it.
In fact, the politics of rejecting a DHS request for more Secret Service funding may not be palatable for Congress.
“If the Secret Service substantiates the need, I cannot imagine Congress not meeting that request,” Collins told us. “There are a lot of demands on the Secret Service, particularly in an election year when President Trump will be all over the country.”
But like most things on Capitol Hill, it may not be that simple. While there are growing bipartisan calls to step up security protocols for Trump, some lawmakers are skeptical that throwing more money at the troubled agency will solve what they see as deep operational and institutional problems in the organization’s leadership. Some Republicans are instead pushing to just have existing resources shifted toward protecting Trump — at the same level that President Joe Biden gets.
“The Secret Service had a significant plus-up in funding. They need to give Donald Trump the same level of protection he had when he was president,” said Senate Republican Conference Chair John Barrasso.
It’s not just Republicans who want the Secret Service to be more forthcoming with Congress. Democrats also are frustrated with the agency. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said the Secret Service and DHS overall have been “deeply disappointing, and, in fact almost derelict in its duty, by resisting our requests for documents, evidence and information that are necessary to our investigation.”
The bipartisan anger at the Secret Service suggests that a funding boost or new authorities could be a heavy lift as part of the CR. Lawmakers are already warning that they could end up stumbling into a shutdown as a result.
“I am very worried,” Collins said. “I don’t think anybody wants a shutdown. But we could slide into a shutdown if we don’t get the work done.”
Task force latest: The bipartisan House task force has already taken initial steps to expand its probe into the latest attempted attack at Trump’s Florida golf course.
The expectation is that the House will also need to vote on new language to formally expand the scope of the task force’s jurisdiction, which was outlined in the initial resolution establishing the panel. But those conversations are ongoing.
So far, lawmakers have requested a briefing from the Secret Service about the West Palm Beach, Fla., incident. The agency has responded to members with a plan to schedule a briefing this week.
Their first public hearing is still scheduled to take place next week, as we previously reported, but a date hasn’t yet been finalized. The Secret Service will brief the task force today on the department’s radio communications protocols.
— Melanie Zanona, Jake Sherman, Andrew Desiderio and Mica Soellner
New! Join Punchbowl News founder and CEO Anna Palmer on Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. ET in Charlotte, N.C., for an interview with Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). They’ll discuss the news of the day and how private equity drives innovation, supports jobs and strengthens small businesses in North Carolina. RSVP now!
PRESENTED BY CHEVRON
Chevron understands the importance of energy security. At Anchor, our latest offshore platform, we’re producing previously inaccessible oil and natural gas to increase our energy output. It’s all part of an effort to help meet the demands of today and tomorrow.
THE SENATE
Senate Republicans poised to reject Democrats’ IVF bill again
The Senate will vote again Tuesday on Democrats’ Right to IVF Act, in another attempt by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to squeeze Republicans on the issue.
GOP senators indicated Monday evening that they’ll again vote to block the measure, panning it as another political ploy and “show” vote intended to boost vulnerable Democrats.
“Schumer doesn’t want to pass stuff. He just wants to have show votes to try to win elections,” said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who’s up for reelection this year in a state where abortion will be on the ballot.
Schumer decided to bring the measure back up after former President Donald Trump came out in support of mandating insurance coverage for IVF treatments — a position that cuts against traditional GOP orthodoxy on health care policy. This is also one of the provisions in the Right to IVF Act.
“Republicans cannot claim to be pro-family on the one hand while then voting against IVF protection bills on the other,” Schumer said. “Americans are much smarter than that.”
Scott tried to pass his own IVF bill Monday night on the Senate floor, but Democrats blocked it. Republicans aren’t expected to do anything today that would drag out what they say is a sham process that’s not intended to reach an outcome. That means they’ll almost certainly block the IVF bill this afternoon rather than try to punch back at Democrats.
“If you get on [the bill], you don’t have any way to get amendments,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said. “You’re just stuck there.”
Republican leaders said Schumer should be using the valuable floor time to pass the annual defense authorization bill or the FY2025 appropriations bills that have already been approved in committee.
Republican senators will have an opportunity to discuss how to handle the IVF vote later today during their weekly policy lunch. The vote is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. But GOP leaders are already setting expectations for how this will end.
“Everybody knows the outcome of this,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune said. “It would be in everybody’s best interest if we actually were doing the things that people expect us to be doing.”
— Andrew Desiderio

Weekday mornings, The Daily Punch brings you inside Capitol Hill, the White House, and Washington.
Listen NowFUTURE OF
Future Of: The legislative landscape

Congress controls the U.S. defense budget and therefore plays a crucial role in the outlook for the nation’s aero-defense capabilities.
The second segment of The Future of Defense Aviation series explores the legislative landscape.
Every year, lawmakers work to set defense policy and spending levels through the annual National Defense Authorization Act and the Pentagon spending bill.
The NDAA is Congress’ main vehicle for setting U.S. defense policy and establishing a topline spending figure. That means lawmakers have the final say on defense aviation programs, including how much is spent on the development of new aircraft as well as future procurement for U.S. allies and security partners.
This year, Congress is expected to pass both the NDAA and the Pentagon spending bill during an end-of-year legislating rush. Both measures typically pass with bipartisan support.
Read more on the legislative outlook here.
Don’t miss: We have a live event this Thursday, Sept. 19 to discuss The Future of Defense Aviation with Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) at 9 a.m. We’d love it if you could join us. Register to attend here.
— Andrew Desiderio
PRESENTED BY CHEVRON

At Chevron’s latest offshore platform, Anchor, innovations help us reach previously inaccessible oil and natural gas reserves in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Learn more.
THE CAMPAIGN
Herrell features 9/11 conspiracy theorist in ad
Former Rep. Yvette Herrell’s (R-N.M.) campaign is running an ad featuring an Albuquerque small business owner praising her plan to bring down inflation. That same small business owner, Candace Baca, posted 9/11 conspiracy memes on Facebook last week.
On Baca’s public Facebook page, where she promotes her cattle ranch business, Baca recently suggested that the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks were staged.
“If you don’t know the truth about 9/11 by now, you probably still drink tap water,” Baca posted on Sept. 11, the 23rd anniversary of the al-Qaeda attack.
“100% of people who think jet fuel melts steel beams are vaccinated,” Baca wrote on the same day.
Herrell is challenging Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) in the state’s toss-up 2nd District.
The Herrell campaign ad is running in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe media market and the El Paso media market. In the 30-second spot, Baca speaks direct-to-camera about how “politicians make it tough for family businesses like mine to stay open.”
“Costs are skyrocketing and Gabe Vasquez is not helping,” Baca says. “We need someone who has our best interests at heart and that’s Yvette Herrell. Our jobs and wallets are safe with Yvette.”
Herrell spokesperson Casey Conlee said in a statement that “These posts were made after the ad was recorded and are clearly not reflective of Yvette Herrell’s views whatsoever – anyone who says otherwise is playing political games.”
The Herrell campaign didn’t respond when we followed up by asking if they would pull the ad from the air.
Baca didn’t return a request for comment.
— Max Cohen
PUNCHBOWL NEWS EVENTS
The Tournament

On Monday night, Punchbowl News hosted the second annual cornhole tournament in partnership with General Motors. Attendees enjoyed drinks, light bites and friendly competition at Dacha Navy Yard. They also heard from Punchbowl News Founder and CEO Anna Palmer, and GM’s Executive Director of Federal Affairs Eric Feldman.
Congratulations to the Senate Banking Committee team for taking the championship! Global Strategy Group came in second place and GM rounded out the top three.
Playing cornhole and cheering on the competitors: Georgia Greenleaf, Jackie Mwesigwa, and Kierra Newton of the DCCC; Wesley Harkins of Rep. Stephanie Bice’s (R-Okla.) office; Jeff Butler of the House Financial Services Committee; Nick Bouknight, David Bridges, Jonathan Kott and Michelle Mathy of Capitol Counsel; Erin Billings and Marissa Padilla of Global Strategy Group; Jay Driscoll of Forbes Tate Partners; Amanda Marsh and John Brandt of ROKK Solutions; and Tomas Delgado, Joseph Guzzo, Ashley Lerner and Noel Perez of GM.
MOMENTS
ALL TIMES EASTERN
12:45 p.m.
President Joe Biden will get his daily intelligence briefing.
12:55 p.m.
Vice President Kamala Harris will depart D.C., en route to Philadelphia, arriving at 1:40 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will brief.
2:15 p.m.
Biden will meet with Ajay Banga, president of the World Bank, in the Oval Office.
2:30 p.m.
Harris will participate in a campaign event in Philadelphia.
4:20 p.m.
Harris will depart Philadelphia en route to D.C., arriving at 5:10 p.m.
11:15 p.m.
Biden will participate in a briefing on the wildfire season in the Oval Office.
CLIPS
NYT
“Pelosi Blamed New York for House Losses. Hochul Wants Another Chance.”
– Nick Fandos
WaPo
“Trump’s golf outings have long concerned Secret Service”
– Carol D. Leonnig, Josh Dawsey and Isaac Stanley-Becker
WSJ
“U.S. Authorities Were Warned About Suspected Trump Gunman”
– Jane Lytvynenko in Kyiv, Ukraine, Deborah Acosta in West Palm Beach, Fla., and Vera Bergengruen in D.C.
WSJ
“Federal Debt Is Soaring. Here’s Why Trump and Harris Aren’t Talking About It.”
– Rich Rubin
Politico
“Activity along the southern border returns to Trump-era levels”
– Kierra Frazier
Politico
“Mark Meadows loses bid to transfer Arizona election case to federal court”
– Kyle Cheney
PRESENTED BY CHEVRON
The Anchor offshore platform is utilizing breakthrough technology to enable us to produce oil and natural gas in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico at pressures up to 20,000 psi, a new industry benchmark. Anchor is part of Chevron’s plan to produce approximately 300,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2026 in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico – home to some of our lowest carbon intensity producing operations. That’s energy in progress.
Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. Political ads courtesy of AdImpact.

Crucial Capitol Hill news AM, Midday, and PM—5 times a week
Join a community of some of the most powerful people in Washington and beyond. Exclusive newsmaker events, parties, in-person and virtual briefings and more.
Subscribe to Premium
The Canvass Year-End Report
And what senior aides and downtown figures believe will happen in 2023.
Check it outEvery single issue of Punchbowl News published, all in one place
Visit the archive
Presented by Pharmaceutical Reform Alliance
Americans know who to blame for rising drug prices: Big Pharma. A majority of Republicans, Democrats, & Independents all believe Big Pharma’s focus on profits keeps drug prices high. Let’s hold Big Pharma accountable – it’s an issue we’re united on.