The Archive

SENATE AGENDA

Backers want standalone vote on same sex marriage

Senate supporters of a same-sex marriage bill are urging Democratic leaders to hold a standalone vote on the measure, rejecting calls to attach the language to a must-pass government funding bill that will be taken up later this month.

Democratic leaders have considered attaching the marriage provision to a short-term continuing resolution that will fund federal departments and agencies beyond Sept. 30, as we first reported Tuesday morning.

But the bipartisan group of senators pushing for a floor vote on legislation codifying federal protections for same sex marriages believe such a move would be a mistake, and they want Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to bring up the measure on its own.

“Attaching the legislation to a CR is not the senator’s preferred path as she would like to see it taken up sooner,” said an aide to Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), one of the Democrats who has taken the lead on this issue. Here’s more from Baldwin’s team:

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), one of the key Republican backers of same-sex marriage, said he’d prefer to “do it on the merits” – in other words to keep it out of the CR. Portman said it was “uncertain” whether there would be 10 GOP votes for the measure.

“I think it will be a reason my colleagues might vote against the CR. And I don’t think it helps on the CR or on the Respect for Marriage Act,” the Ohio Republican added.

Portman noted there will be a bipartisan meeting on Tuesday of the bill’s proponents to talk through their strategy.

And Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who also supports same-sex marriage, said attaching the proposal to the CR would be a “non-starter.”

Senior Republicans are already warning that adding that to the CR could cause big problems. “I think it’s, frankly, a political stunt,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters Tuesday night.

The language codifying same-sex marriage protections is just the latest potential addition to the must-pass spending bill. As we reported Tuesday evening, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) is insisting his permitting reform proposal be part of the spending package.

And the White House is requesting $47 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine, Covid-19, monkeypox and disaster relief be added to the CR. No surprise but Republicans – even those who have supported some of that aid in the past – are balking at the request.

“A bill that comes out with what – $47 billion in requests with no offsets – I think is a very heavy lift,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah). “Are there parts of it that I would support? Certainly, Ukraine being one of them. But the Covid measure, I think, would be a very hard lift for me and some others.”

— John Bresnahan, Heather Caygle and Max Cohen

THE HOUSE GOP

NEWS: Eyeing majority, House GOP launches professional training course for staffers

As the GOP eyes the House majority, House Republicans are launching a training program this week to prepare staffers to fill key, senior-level congressional roles. By creating the program — titled “Level Up: House GOP Staff Development Course” — Republicans are formalizing what’s long been an informal process.

Level Up is run by the offices of the Republican leader, Republican whip, Republican conference and the House Administration Committee. The first training sessions, designed for staffers looking to be chiefs of staff, kicks off today and runs until Friday. A sign of the interest: More than a hundred staffers applied for the training session, which had a limit of 30 attendees.

Other training sessions focus on the job responsibilities of legislative directors, communications directors and schedulers.

Also interesting: House Republicans are briefing staffers as part of an Oversight Education Series. Oversight of the White House, of course, will be one of the major focuses of the House if Republicans take back the majority.

— Max Cohen

INSIDE THE HOUSE GOP

House GOP to unveil campaign season agenda in two weeks

House Republican leaders will unveil their campaign season “Commitment to America” agenda Sept. 19 in Pittsburgh.

Let’s be perfectly clear: This is a media event, not a political game changer. These election-season manifestos do not account for the realities of governing, especially in a divided Washington. But our sources tell us the event will be large, with House Republicans, candidates and community leaders in attendance.

House Republicans have traditionally rolled out grand pronouncements when they believe they’re on the brink of a Republican majority. Newt Gingrich had the “Contract with America” in 1994. John Boehner had the “Pledge to America” in 2010, which he unveiled in a lumber store in Sterling, Va.

Kevin McCarthy — then the chief deputy whip, now the minority leader — was intricately involved in writing the pledge in 2010. It was one of McCarthy’s first forays into leadership politics. In 2010, McCarthy clashed with House Republicans over how much specificity to include in the Pledge. McCarthy favored issuing promises in broad terms, while other top Republicans wanted to outline more specific policy provisions.

This is an “earned media” play for House Republicans. In other words, it’s an opportunity to try to get a day of good press.

Axios reported some of these details.

– Jake Sherman

THE CAMPAIGN

Beasley’s GOP opponent, Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) is described as a politician interested in personal gain.

The ad is the latest example of Beasley trying to run as a non-partisan candidate in the red-leaning state.

“Jennifer-Ruth Green said she would ban all abortions, with absolutely no exceptions,” the ad’s narrator says. “Not even if a woman’s life is at risk… not even if a victim is a 10-year-old girl.”

That last line appears to reference the 10-year-old Ohio girl who became pregnant as a result of rape and traveled to Indiana for an abortion this summer.

Green — a Black combat veteran — is one of the NRCC’s most prized recruits this cycle.

DeLuzio’s campaign ad features the candidate speaking direct-to-camera about how he joined the Navy and fought in Iraq following 9/11. In the ad, DeLuzio pledges to produce more in America, bring down costs and keep communities safe.

The DCCC independent expenditure takes a more negative approach, slamming DeLuzio’s Republican opponent — Jeremy Shaffer — as a millionaire who profits from shipping jobs overseas. The voiceover describes DeLuzio as an” Iraq war veteran” who “wants to make things here” and “stand up to the big corporations.”

Gibbs, who beat Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) in a GOP primary, is seen as vulnerable in a general election.

— Max Cohen

THE MONEY GAME

Prefer Billy Joel? Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) has a fundraiser at Madison Square Garden Friday night to see the piano man live. Tickets cost $2,500 for PAC contributors or $1,500 for an individual.

— Max Cohen and Jake Sherman

MOMENTS

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

1:30 p.m.: Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff will attend the unveiling of former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama’s White House portraits.

2 p.m.: Senate leadership will speak after their party lunches.

2:45 p.m.: Karine Jean-Pierre will brief.

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