House Democrats are grumbling that Republicans are setting one last political trap for them before November by attaching language touting their marquee voter ID legislation to a resolution denouncing socialism. Why it matters: This is a classic election-year tactic by the majority party in Congress, but centrist Democrats say it is also a missed opportunity for a genuinely bipartisan vote to denounce socialism. - "This isn't a serious bill," Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), a vocal moderate who has clashed fiercely with his party's democratic socialist wing, told Axios. - "If you actually want to take on socialism instead of playing political games, you don't slip in the SAVE [America] Act as a poison pill that you know no Democrat will…
The U.S. has built roughly 50 miles of primary border wall along the southern border, 5.5 miles of buoy barriers in the water and 13.2 miles of secondary barriers, Customs and Border Protection commissioner Rodney Scott told Congress on Thursday. Why it matters: The $46 billion project has been stalled by contracting issues and community resistance . But Scott told Congress the effort is now "ahead of schedule and we're below budget." By the numbers: The agency anticipated that it could build about 10 miles of wall per week, according to an interview with the Washington Examiner . - Scott's figures show progress closer to about 3.5 miles constructed per week since early-February. - Scott did not share figures for the stretches of the…
House Democrats failed Thursday to pass a war powers resolution that would constrain President Trump's ability to wage war with Iran. Why it matters: It is the third time Democrats have tried and failed to pass an Iran war powers resolution, which some lawmakers fear will be seen as a green light to the Trump administration to keep ignoring Congress. - The measure, introduced and forced to a vote by House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.), failed 213 to 214. What happened: Centrist Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) voted with Republicans against the measure, while libertarian-leaning Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) voted with Democrats to pass it. - Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), who voted to pass an Iran war powers…
Congress' seemingly endless cascade of scandals reached a partial climax on Monday with two embattled House members announcing plans to leave Congress voluntarily rather than face possible expulsion. Why it matters: That may not be the end of it, with another pair of lawmakers still facing serious scrutiny from the House Ethics Committee and the threat of removal. - Some lawmakers, frustrated by the glacial pace of the Ethics panel, have threatened to take matters into their own hands and force what leaders in both parties see as premature expulsion votes. - "The ethics process is completely flawed," one House Democrat vented to Axios last month. "I've been deeply disappointed by the pace and the disjointed approach." Driving the news:…
House Democrats have clamped down on internal divisions ahead of an expected vote to constrain President Trump's ability to wage war with Iran, Axios has learned from lawmakers familiar with the matter. Why it matters: That apparent Democratic unity gives the measure a more realistic chance of passing the House, with a pair of isolationist Republicans having voted for it last time. - With a 217 to 214 majority, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) can only afford one GOP defection on an otherwise party-line vote. - That doesn't even factor in House Republican leadership's attendance concerns , including that members who lost their primaries or bids for higher office will stop showing up to vote. State of play: Four House Democrats —…
A group of centrist House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled a war powers resolution that would give the Trump administration more leeway on Iran than the measure their leadership is pushing. Why it matters: The effort reflects the extreme reluctance some hawkish Democrats have towards voting for the resolution introduced by anti-interventionist Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). - Unlike the Khanna-Massie measure , the centrist Democrats' alternative resolution would give the administration 30 days to end hostilities with Iran. - It would also allow them to maintain "a troop presence in the region for defensive purposes." Driving the news: The resolution was introduced by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Greg Landsman…
Democratic divisions on Middle East policy roared back to the surface on Saturday after the U.S. and Israel launched what President Trump described as "major combat operations" in Iran . Why it matters: There may be enough defections from hawkish Democrats to doom a measure Democratic leadership plans to force to a vote next week reining in Trump's war powers. - "I don't support the resolution, which would require us to completely abandon our allies," Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) told Axios. - "The Administration returned to the practice of notifying Congress of a strike with [Secretary of State Marco] Rubio briefing the Gang of 8 last week. The strikes are an attempt to prevent further war, not to start one." State of play: Trump…
Nearly every single Democrat voted against legislation that would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID for voting in federal elections. The House passed the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act 218-213. Just Democrat Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas voted to pass the legislation alongside his Republican colleagues. A […]