Speaker Johnson refuses to budge on Ukraine
Government funding, Ukraine, border measures all still in limbo
Also in today’s edition of ‘Regular Order’ for February 28, 2024:
The Speaker flies solo at the White House.
Trump has his best showing yet in 2024.
The legal fight continues over a House rule that no longer exists.
UKRAINE AID. As the House returns to work today after a nearly two-week break, Speaker Mike Johnson is in an unprecedented political position, facing intense bipartisan pressure to allow a vote on a Senate-passed aid package for Ukraine. After a White House meeting on Tuesday, Johnson was noncommittal - saying only that the House would act in a ‘timely manner.’
ISOLATED. In the Oval Office with the President, Vice President, and other Congressional leaders, Johnson found himself all alone on Ukraine. "We said to the Speaker, 'Get it done,'" Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters, calling it the 'most intense' Oval Office meeting he's ever experienced.
MCCONNELL. The Speaker got no cover from Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, who led off the arguments for the Ukraine aid plan. "What I hope is that the House will take up the Senate bill," McConnell said afterwards.
POTUS. "I think the need is urgent," President Biden said to reporters crammed into the Oval Office. "The consequences of inaction every day in Ukraine are dire," the President added, publicly leaning on the Speaker to act.
AMERICAN RESOLVE. Democrats say the message being sent by the Speaker is not one of strength. "Nobody's going to trust us if we walk away from Ukraine after only two years, especially given that we didn't have to shed one drop of American blood for this fight," said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)
SPEAKER. After the Oval Office meeting ended, Speaker Johnson stayed behind for a solo meeting with President Biden. The message that Johnson delivered was about doing more on the southern border. "When you talk about America's needs, you have to talk first about our open border," the Speaker told reporters.
BORDER BORDER BORDER. "I brought that issue up repeatedly today in that room and, and again, one on one with the President," Johnson said. "Again, the first priority of the country is our border and making sure it's secure."
UKRAINE. While aid for Ukraine was highlighted by Biden, Schumer, McConnell, and Jeffries - Speaker Johnson never mentioned that word in his postgame remarks. And he made no promise of action.
SOLO. Not only was Speaker Johnson going solo inside the Oval Office, but Johnson was also by himself outside. While Democratic leaders appeared side by side before TV cameras, McConnell did not join Johnson at the West Wing stakeout position. The Speaker took no questions.
SHUTDOWN. As the House reconvenes today, no temporary funding plan is on the schedule. But there didn't seem to be any panic in the hallways about a partial government shutdown deadline on Friday night. "We believe that we can get to agreement on these issues and prevent a government shutdown," Speaker Johnson said.
STOPGAP. There was also talk that lawmakers might give themselves a little more time, possibly extending the March 8 shutdown deadline to March 22 - that's when an extended Easter break is supposed to start for Congress. "There is no reason for a shutdown," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA).
QUATTRO. Four funding bills expire on Friday: Military Construction/VA, Energy & Water, Agriculture-FDA, and Transportation-HUD. "I think we've made good progress," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who said those four bills might be released 'in the next 24 to 48 hours.'
GAME PLAN. Senators emerged from their party meetings yesterday with no clear idea of what would be next. "Maybe a short term, a very short term, CR would still be needed," said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO).
BORDER. While Speaker Johnson said repeatedly yesterday that he wants the border dealt with first, it wasn't clear what legislation he was willing to bring to the House floor - if anything. President Biden has talked about taking executive actions, but he can't add Border Patrol agents, spend more money on enforcement, or change any policies without the Congress passing a law.
DEAL. That's why Democrats keep circling back to that bipartisan Senate border security deal which Johnson rejected - arguing that deserves a vote in the House along with aid to Ukraine. "This isn't leadership — it's amateur hour," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
H.R. 2. The House has already passed a border bill, but there is no way that measure can get past a Senate filibuster by Democrats. You have two choices if you're a Republican. You can do nothing in Congress about the border this year - or you can try to come up with a deal.
BROWNSVILLE STATION. Look for Republicans to go ballistic on Thursday when the President travels down to the border in Texas - as GOP lawmakers say Americans know who is to blame for the migrant surge. "They don't want to see a photo-op of the President at the border," said Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA). "They want the border secured."
WOLVERINES. Donald Trump had his best night of the 2024 GOP race for President last night in Michigan, as he easily defeated Nikki Haley, who couldn’t get 30 percent of the vote. Haley said she will stick around through Super Tuesday next week - but there's no reason to think her results will be any better.
BIDEN. On the Democratic side, President Biden won over 80 percent, as a protest vote for 'uncommitted' took in about 13 percent - some of which was a protest vote over the situation in Gaza, as Michigan is home to a large number of Arab-American voters.
TLAIB. "This is the way we can use our democracy to say, 'Listen, listen to Michigan,'" said Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who endorsed the uncommitted vote as a way to protest how the President has dealt with Israel and the war in Gaza.
UNCOMMITTED. Biden's performance was nothing close to what happened to Barack Obama in his 2012 reelection bid. That year in Kentucky, 42 percent of Democrats voted for 'uncommitted.' And don't forget in West Virginia that same year, when a guy in jail won 41 percent against Obama.
MAYORKAS. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell yesterday joined a call by GOP Senators to have the Senate hold a full impeachment trial for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. That came amid more talk that Democrats would quickly move to dismiss the case.
GOP LEADERS. "I think that would be the best way to go forward," McConnell told reporters. "It is important that United States Senators sit and hear - and the American people hear - about this incredible crisis at our southern border," said Sen. John Thune (R-SD), the Senate's second-ranking Republican.
TRIAL. The last thing Democrats want to do is give Republicans the chance to hold an extended election year advertisement about troubles at the border. But it's not clear how fast they can move to dismiss the charges.
IMPEACHMENT NERD NOTE. It's been two weeks since the House approved the two charges against Mayorkas - but the impeachment resolution has still not been sent to the Senate.
IVF. Democrats in Congress have kept up the heat on Republicans over that odd court ruling from Alabama last week, which put in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments for many couples on hold. It's just one more example of how the aftermath of the Roe v. Wade abortion decision has kept Republicans playing defense.
STORIES. "I was only able to get pregnant through IVF," said Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), as Senate Democrats held a news conference on Tuesday to denounce the Alabama ruling. "If you're thinking that this makes no sense, well, you're right," Duckworth told reporters.
IVF. Democrats today will ask unanimous consent to bring up Duckworth's bill to give federal protections to IVF and other fertility treatments. They expect a Republican to object. There won't be a vote - but that could always happen before Election Day.
MITTENS. Maybe the best comment about the IVF situation came from Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). "I'd have several fewer grandkids if we didn't have IVF." How many grandchildren does Romney have? (Jeopardy theme.) Twenty-five.
25TH AMENDMENT. This week, President Biden was taking questions and cracking wise during an interview on 'Late Night with Seth Myers.' At the same time, Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO) was calling on Vice President Harris to use the 25th Amendment to remove Biden from office, arguing he can no longer function.
BUCKED. "Biden no longer has the mental stamina needed to serve as President," said Buck, who has refused to support impeachment efforts against Biden - but still wants him removed via the 25th Amendment.
QUERY. I had written something in jest a few weeks back, about how Republicans switch between casting Biden as an old man ridden with dementia, or as a cunning operative who is trying to use every tool to stay in power. "Is Biden senile or just a ruthless dictator?"
CRACKLING. Speaking of Grandpa Joe, you can watch his 90 second statement from the Oval Office - and especially listen for the sounds of the fire roaring in the fireplace behind him. I kept half-expecting a devil log to come flying out onto the carpet beside him.
PROXY VOTING. Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case brought by House Republicans, in which they challenged the remote House voting rules put in place by Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the COVID outbreak. That should have ended all legal challenges on that rule - but, not in Texas.
RULING. U.S. District Judge James Hendrix yesterday said that Congress had violated the Quorum Clause of the Constitution by allowing remote proxy voting - specifically citing a giant year-end funding bill in December of 2022 - because more than half of the House voted remotely to approve that plan.
PARLIAMENTARY NERD NOTE. I know a good amount about House procedure - this judge does not. His ruling had a series of errors about some pretty basic stuff - like calling a bill a resolution, not knowing how many votes constituted a quorum, and more.
HOUSE RULES. The Supreme Court just recently refused to hear a challenge to a House rule which fined members for not wearing masks during the COVID outbreak. It seems inconceivable that the Justices would later say that another House rule was unconstitutional. But here we are.
SUOZZI. Democrats get an extra vote in the House today, as Rep.-elect Tom Suozzi (D-NY) will be sworn in. Suozzi fills the seat of expelled Rep. George Santos (R-NY), who continues to tweet out almost daily attacks at his former colleagues.
NUMBERS. The arrival of Suozzi will make the House 219 Republicans to 213 Democrats. Three seats are vacant in California, Ohio, and New York.
RAP SHEET. A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 9 months in prison for his crimes on Jan. 6. Cameron Hess repeatedly pushed and shoved police officers who were trying to keep rioters from entering the Capitol through the North Door. "I was brawling at the door," Hess texted a friend later.
SUNSHINE. A Florida couple has been arrested for their actions on Jan. 6. Andrew Johnson struggled with police officers in the Rotunda of the Capitol, while his wife hit one cop as an officer tried to clear her out of the building.
MUSE OF HISTORY. February 28, 1824. On this date, Rep. Robert Henry of Kentucky brought forth a bill from the Committee on Roads and Canals to spur improvements on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Noting those rivers 'are the principal commercial outlets of the vast and fertile regions west of the Allegheny mountains,' the panel recommended new dykes, sluices, and removal of other obstacles to general river navigation.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:
The House meets at 12 noon.
The Senate convenes at 10 am.
Check President Biden’s schedule.
Follow me on Twitter @jamiedupree.
Email me at jamiedupree@substack.com
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It seems to me that the GOP’s only position since Obama was elected was to oppose any bill the Dems liked regardless of the consequences. Most didn’t want to overturn Roe but they saw it as a good wedge issue to get votes and raise money. They never thought of the repercussions but only of the immediate gain of votes and money. Now they can’t vote on a boarder/ defense bill because the Dems want to. Sen. Van Hollen captured it perfectly by saying "This isn't leadership — it's amateur hour,"
Will the House hold the Mayorkas impeachment to delay it to closer to the election while claiming the Senate is not acting on it, like they have done on several other DOA bills they passed? Thanks Jamie for keeping tract of their trick.