Good Thursday evening. In this edition: Jeffries mum on punishing Democratic defectors as lawmakers leave town ahead of the midterms.
Plus, Kennedy Center, Jon Kyl and ICE nominee.
Democratic Defectors
As House lawmakers left Washington ahead of the midterms, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) stayed mum when asked whether Democratic leaders were planning to punish Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) for breaking ranks and siding with Republicans on procedural votes.
Reps. Gluesenkamp Perez and Jared Golden (D-ME) have crossed the aisle on two occasions in recent weeks to help Republicans on procedural votes to ensure legislation came to the floor for consideration. It's extremely rare for members of the minority party to help the majority on procedural votes.
The first instance was a few weeks ago, when they voted for a rule to bring several measures to the floor, including a lobstermen bill they supported, but also GOP priorities like a resolution to condemn socialism and bills to roll back environmental protections and bar universities from participating in boycotts of Israel.
The second time was on Tuesday, when the pair voted for a rule that teed up a vote on a Russia sanctions bill that Democratic leaders opposed over the new tariff authorities it gives President Trump. The measure ultimately passed with 58 Democrats supporting it, but it divided the party.
The moves infuriated Democratic leaders as well as many in the rank and file, some of whom want them to lose committee assignments or face other punitive measures.
Rep. Golden is retiring, so he's less of a focus, but Democrats want to ensure party loyalty moving forward, particularly if they retake the majority in November.
After the first instance, Rep. Jeffries called their actions a "breach of trust" that warranted a "serious response," but two days later said he had met privately with Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez and had a "productive, forward-looking conversation."
"We'll address the situation when we address the situation," Rep. Jeffries told reporters Thursday. "We're focused right now on taking back control of the House of Representatives. That's what the American people want to see: a dramatic change in this country, because they are drowning."
Rep. Jeffries said the American people have had "enough" of Republican rule in Washington and were ready to return Democrats to power.
"Donald Trump and Republicans promised a Golden Age in America. They've failed. They've delivered a Rotten Age," he said. "The economy is not going in the right direction. It is failing everyday Americans."
He also accused Republicans of skipping town while there were pressing issues to address, from inflation to artificial intelligence.
"They're running away from their responsibilities here on Capitol Hill," the New York Democrat said. "They continue to, at best, bury their heads in the sand while Rome is burning. That's a disgrace. And that's why I believe the American people are going to fire them in November."
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), meanwhile, remains "absolutely confident" that Republicans will hold onto their majorities in November.
"I believe we're going to defy the historic trend and keep and grow the House Republican majority," he told reporters Wednesday evening. "I believe that we're going to have the majority in the Senate as well, and we'll be able to keep this record of achievement for the people going."
The speaker touted the work of House Republicans during the 119th Congress, calling it "one of the most productive in history," highlighting tax cuts and Trump Accounts, among other GOP initiatives.
"House Republicans are going now back to our districts. We're going to make the case to the American people on what we have delivered on their behalf," he said. "The media certainly doesn't do this for us, so we've got to go tell them the truth."
When pressed on why Republicans were leaving town so early, the speaker noted that the House passed more than 900 bills this Congress — though the vast majority have not been taken up by the Senate, let alone signed into law.
"If they will process those bills and send them over, the House can do meaningful work," he said of the Senate. "In the meantime, it feels very much like we're spinning our wheels. Our incumbents here, who are now candidates, need to be in their districts working with their constituents right now."
The House was originally scheduled to be in session through Oct. 1, but the speaker cut two weeks from the calendar to give Republicans more time to campaign in their districts.
On Wednesday, he shortened the calendar by another day, scrapping a planned legislative day for Thursday, during which the chamber would have been forced to act on Rep. Thomas Massie's (R-KY) privileged resolution to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
A federal judgeordered the Kennedy Center to provide 30 days' notice of any major changes to the building, including demolition, after Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH), a Kennedy Center trustee, raised concerns in court that President Trump could move to level the building. The president was photographed Wednesday evening aboard Air Force One looking at a poster with a heading that read "Kennedy Center DEMOLISH..." The president told reporters earlier in the day that the Kennedy Center could be "ripped down" if he doesn't get "recognition" for repairing it. "I think that the Trump administration should certainly have recognition," he said when asked why it was important for his name to be added to the structure, which was built as a living memorial to the nation's 35th president. On Tuesday, a federal judge again blocked the Kennedy Center's Trump-appointed board from adding the president's name to the building. President Trump responded by saying he wouldn't spend the $257 million in congressionally appropriated funding to repair the building unless his name was added.
Jon Kyl, the former Republican senator and congressman from Arizona, has died at the age of 84, his family announced Thursday. The staunch conservative, known as a quiet but effective policy expert, served in the House from 1987 to 1995 before joining the Senate, where he served three terms and rose to the minority whip position. He retired in 2013, working as a lawyer and lobbyist, and also helped guide Brett Kavanaugh through his Supreme Court confirmation process. He later had another brief stint in the Senate, with an appointment to the seat left vacant in the wake of Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) death in 2018. He resigned at the end of the year and was succeeded by Martha McSally. Mr. Kyl's family attributed his death to complications from a neurological disease. The former lawmaker announced last December that he had been diagnosed with dementia. "Jon Kyl loved his state of Arizona and was a true legislator's legislator," Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said on social media. "He was an incredibly hard worker and honorably returned to service when his state called. He was a dear friend and will be missed."
The White Housepulled the nomination of Oklahoma state trooper Lance Schroyer to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), meaning the agency's stretch since 2017 without a Senate-confirmed leader will continue. Mr. Schroyer, who is close to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, was nominated for the role in June despite having never worked for ICE or led a major law enforcement agency. His nomination was held up by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), the Homeland Security Committee chair, who refused to hold a confirmation hearing until the Homeland Security Department provided information he had requested about investigations into civilian deaths during ICE enforcement operations. In the interim, David Venturella will continue to lead the agency in an acting capacity.
For your radar…
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation on Friday holds its annual legislative conference, with the theme "Rooted, Ready and Rising." Watch LIVE on C-SPAN at 9am ET.
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