House poised to target TikTok

Bucks stuns GOP with resignation; "It keeps getting worse"

Also in today’s edition of ‘Regular Order’ for March 13, 2024:

• McConnell calls for House vote on Ukraine.

• Dueling discharge petitions on Ukraine in House

• House GOP okays non-binding plan on border.

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TIKTOK VOTE. The House is set to vote today on a bill which could effectively lead to a ban on one of the most popular social media apps in the United States - TikTok. Backers say it's all about national security and threats from China, but critics argue it's an ill-advised rush against something that Americans enjoy and use.

• RED CHINA. "TikTok is like a Chinese spy balloon in your phone," said Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), as this bill would force TikTok to be sold by ByteDance, a company controlled by Beijing. "TikTok should cut ties with the Chinese Communist Party," added Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX).

• ALGORITHM. Some TikTok critics expressed concern over what the app shows users. "There were just unexplained variances between content on Instagram and TikTok," said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI).

• FOR-YOU PAGE. But others weren't swayed. "I'm just not sure this is the way to go," said Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), as a number of Democrats were questioning the need for the plan.

• MRS. GREENE OF GEORGIA. With former President Donald Trump against this effort, some have followed. "This bill forces the sale of a company owned by an ‘enemy,’" said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). “Who and which company may become the enemy tomorrow?"

SUSPENSION. Like so many other big bills coming before the House, this TikTok plan will be brought up under 'suspension of the rules' - which means a two-thirds bipartisan supermajority is needed for approval. A House vote is expected after 10 am.

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U.S. HOUSE. Fed up with dysfunction in the GOP-led House and the tension within Republican ranks, Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) stunned his colleagues on Tuesday by announcing that he will resign his seat in Congress next week. Buck had previously said he would not run for reelection in November.

• BUCKED. "This place just keeps going downhill," Buck told reporters. "I don't need to spend my time here." In an interview on CNN, Buck was even more blunt. "I think this place is dysfunctional," as Buck said Congress is now dominated by ‘bickering and nonsense.’

• SURPRISE. Buck’s decision blindsided GOP leaders. "I was surprised by Ken's announcement," Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged to reporters.

• STUNNED. “This is horrible,” one senior Republican lawmaker told me when asked about Buck’s resignation. “It keeps getting worse.”

• NUMBERS. Buck's departure on March 22 will trim the GOP majority in the House back to 218-213. At the end of April, Democrats should win back a seat in New York, to make it 218-214.

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BOEBERT. Buck's decision presents an interesting situation for Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), who is changing districts - and running for the seat held by Buck. Does she try to get into the June 25 special election as well, in order to fill the remainder of Buck's term? Or does she just wait until November?

• PARTY. There is no primary. The two parties will pick one nominee to be on the ballot in June. Boebert is already carpetbagging for November - does that put her at a disadvantage for this special election process? So many questions.

• ELECTION NERD NOTE. Can Boebert run in the special election and still hold her House seat at the same time? I couldn’t find any House precedent that would prevent that. But I’m also not sure it’s ever happened before.

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MILITARY AID. The Senate's top Republican on Tuesday once again publicly pressed the Speaker of the House to allow a vote on a bipartisan Senate-passed aid bill for Ukraine and Israel. I can’t stress enough how unusual this situation is within GOP ranks on Capitol Hill.

• MCCONNELL. "I want to encourage the Speaker again to allow a vote," said Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell. "Let the House speak….We've got a bill that got 70 votes in the Senate. Give members of the House of Representatives an opportunity to vote on it."

• POWITALNY. A similar message came from top Polish officials visiting Washington. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said it was time for Speaker Johnson to approve aid for Ukraine. "I hope that he is already aware, that on his individual decision depends the fate of millions of people."

DISCHARGE. With no word from the Speaker, two different groups filed discharge petitions in the House on Tuesday to force action on Ukraine. Democrats want to bring up the Senate-passed aid bill that McConnell champions, while a group of moderates is trying to combine aid for Ukraine with border security.

• DEMS. "I strongly urge the House Republican leadership to act on these bills before it's too late for the Ukrainian people," said Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), one of the first to sign the Democratic discharge petition. 218 signatures are needed to force action.

• ODDS. But the chances for the Democratic discharge petition seemed slim - simply because no Republicans were getting on board. And there are Democrats opposed as well. “I’m not going to sign a petition that calls for Israel aid,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).

• MODERATES. I’m not sure the combo Ukraine/border bill - officially called the 'Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act' - can get 218 signatures, either. "The time for action is long overdue," said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), one of GOP cosponsors.

NUMBERS. As of last night, the discharge petition from Democrats had 169 signatures. The bipartisan discharge petition had just 12.

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HUR REPORT. The most out-of-the-ordinary hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday was with former Special Counsel Robert Hur, who investigated why President Biden had old classified records. Hur was blasted by both parties - Democrats ripped him for his characterization of Biden's mental state, while Republicans thought he should have been much harder on Biden.

• BEAU BIDEN. With the full transcript of Hur's interview now available, it was apparent that Hur's contention that Biden couldn't remember the day that his son died - was not accurate. Biden immediately knew it was May 30.

• SHILL. Democrats basically accused Hur of being a shill for Trump and Republicans by overstepping his assignment and taking gratuitous shots at Biden's age. "You made a choice," said Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). "That was a political choice. It was the wrong choice."

• QUESTIONS. On Biden’s mental state, Republicans didn't get the answers that they were seeking. "Based on your report, did you find that the President was senile?" asked Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI). "I did not," Hur replied.

• NOT GOOD ENOUGH. Others in the GOP rebuked Hur. "I want to thank you for the work you did as far as you could, but unfortunately, you are part of the Praetorian guard that guards the swamp out here in Washington, D.C., protecting the elites," said Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI).

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IMMIGRATION. Republicans voiced their displeasure yet again on Tuesday with Biden Administration immigration policies, as the House approved a non-binding rebuke of the President’s policy choices. The vote was 226-193, as 14 Democrats joined with all Republicans to vote for the plan.

• FOURTEEN. The 14 House Democrats: Caraveo CO, Craig MN, Cuellar TX, Davids KS, Davis NC, Golden ME, Horsford NV, Landsman OH, Lee NV, Moskowitz FL, Mrvan IN, Peltola AK, Perez WA, and Sorensen IL.

• DEMS. But many other Democrats denounced the GOP messaging bill. "A meaningless House Resolution isn't going to get the job done," said Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).

• STALEMATE. But for now, House GOP leaders are in a holding pattern. They demand action every day, but have made clear they are not going to pass new legislation, even though action is needed on the border.

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FUNDING. The next government funding deadline is March 22, one week from Friday. While lawmakers avoided a partial government shutdown last week, my News Spidey Senses wonder if they can really get the final six funding bills passed on time.

• SCHUMER. "The job is only halfway done," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reminded everyone on Tuesday morning. "It's going to take bipartisanship to ensure our military is fully supported," said Schumer.

• DHS. Just think of the political battles going on over illegal immigration, and the inability to pass anything of substance. Do you really think the two parties can agree on funding the Department of Homeland Security? Stay tuned.

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THE TALLEST. It’s good to see that we can still find time at the Capitol for a bit of light-hearted entertainment. On Tuesday, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) met out on the Senate steps - to see who was taller. It looks like it is Fetterman by a hair.

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RETREATS. The Senate is out today to allow both parties to hold policy retreats across the street at the Library of Congress. In the House, Republicans will convene their own retreat later today at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. But attendance might be lower than expected.

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RAP SHEET. A Maryland man has been arrested for assaulting police on Jan. 6. Nicholas Ortt is seen on video repeatedly fighting with officers, grabbing their batons, and helping other rioters to breach police lines outside the Capitol. Ortt wore a Trump hat and a U.S. flag face covering.

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MUSE OF HISTORY.  March 13, 1965.  Six days after blacks marching for voting rights were brutally attacked in Selma, Alabama, President Johnson met with Gov. George Wallace at the White House.  "I told the Governor that the brutality in Selma last Sunday just must not be repeated," Johnson said, as he embraced their call for voting rights.  "The demonstrations in Selma have a much larger meaning. They are a protest against a deep and very unjust flaw in American democracy itself."

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LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:

The House convenes at 9 am.

The Senate is back on Thursday.

Check President Biden’s schedule.

Follow me on Twitter @jamiedupree.

Email me at jamiedupree@substack.com

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