| | | | | |  | | By Eli Okun and Garrett Ross | | | SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI was on the defensive at her press conference this morning over her decision to veto Reps. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) and JIM BANKS (R-Ind.) from the Jan. 6 select committee. She said it would be "ridiculous" to let them serve given their past statements and actions "that I think would impact the integrity" of the committee. "This is deadly serious. This is about our Constitution, it's about our country." Meanwhile, in an apparent attempt at blunt criticism of the move — and an attempt to up the GOP muscle on the panel — ABC's Ben Siegel and Rick Klein report that there's some consideration of tapping former Rep. DENVER RIGGLEMAN (R-Va.) as an adviser to the committee or Rep. ADAM KINZINGER (R-Ill.) as a member. Both, of course, are prominent GOP voices against the party's Trumpist drift. INFRASTRUCTURE ROUNDUP — "Biden's obsession with scoring a bipartisan deal suddenly looks quite doable," by Laura Barrón-López and Chris Cadelago: "If a deal on the massive bill materializes next week, as several senators involved in talks are suggesting, it would represent the most significant validation to date of [President JOE] BIDEN'S commitment to bipartisanship. It would also support his claims that he possesses a unique congressional acumen. … "[T]hough he argued on Wednesday that it was working — 'that's all beginning to move,' he said — many in his party warn that it could be a waste of time and capital. … The White House's zealous pursuit of a bipartisan deal was kept alive, in no small part, due to the team of top advisers Biden installed to help work toward an agreement." — Sen. BILL CASSIDY (R-La.) said the legislative language and the pay-fors of the bipartisan bill are still not yet finished, and "there's a couple big issues still out there," NBC's Frank Thorp reported. — Yellow light for Dems: Despite Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER'S goal of having all 50 Dems on board with the big partisan reconciliation bill by Wednesday, Sen. JOE MANCHIN (D-W.Va.) said today that "I haven't made any commitment at all" — and he's still concerned about the climate planks, per NBC's Julie Tsirkin. — @burgessev: "Schumer says he has 'every intention' of passing a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a budget resolution before August break. Looking pretty clear recess week of Aug. 9 is toast at this point. Infra bill likely takes a week plus on floor and budget will take several days." — Pelosi reiterated this morning that she won't have the House take up the bipartisan infrastructure bill until the Senate has also passed the reconciliation bill. — If you're not fluent in politician-speak, WSJ's Richard Rubin and Andrew Duehren have a smart article this morning deploying their translation services: "When Lawmakers Say Their Plan Is 'Paid For,' This Is What They Mean": "[L]awmakers appear set to open a well-worn bag of maneuvers, which analysts in both parties call gimmicks, to help claim their policies aren't adding to the national debt … "Some techniques exploit gaps and quirks in how nonpartisan analysts at the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation measure the effects of policies. Others are designed to supplement official analyses with claims about savings or revenue that don't meet those offices' criteria." Plus details on sunsets, sunrises, killing the dead, clock shifts, growth assumptions and more PAGING MIAMI — "Biden to announce sanctions on Cuba officials," by Marc Caputo and Sabrina Rodríguez: "President Joe Biden on Thursday plans to slap targeted individual sanctions on Cuba regime officials, bucking the progressive voices in his own party who called for an end to the embargo. Biden's response to Cuba — which also includes measures to bring increased internet access to the island and calls for more international pressure on the totalitarian government — was outlined Wednesday night in a call with Democratic Cuban-American activists in Miami … "But it's the proposal to extend the targeted sanctions of the Magnitsky Act, originally passed in response to Russian government oppression and then extended to other governments such as Venezuela, that has encouraged critics of Cuba's government. 'This is huge,' said SASHA TIRADOR, a top Miami political operative who was briefed on the plans Wednesday night." — WaPo's Karen DeYoung: "At the same time, the administration is trying to figure out how it can reopen its consulate in Havana to begin issuing visas to Cubans who want to leave." Good Thursday afternoon. | | A message from Google: Google blocks 100 million phishing attempts every day. To keep hackers out of your inbox, Gmail uses industry-leading technology to automatically detect threats, blocking more than 99.9% of spam, phishing attempts, and malware from ever reaching you. Learn more. | | | 2022 WATCH — "Democrat Abby Finkenauer is running for the U.S. Senate seat long held by Chuck Grassley," Des Moines Register: "Former Iowa congresswoman ABBY FINKENAUER on Thursday became the first major Democrat to announce … In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Finkenauer echoed many of the themes that motivated her two campaigns for Congress, including a focus on working Iowans and support for the middle class. "But she also brought a harder edge to her criticism of Republican leaders after supporters of former President DONALD TRUMP stormed the U.S. Capitol … 'On 1/6 the world changed, and so did I,' Finkenauer said. … Now, Finkenauer is casting this election as bigger than a fight between competing policy agendas." Launch video SCOTUS WATCH — "Details on F.B.I. Inquiry Into Kavanaugh Draw Fire From Democrats," by NYT's Kate Kelly: "Nearly three years after Justice BRETT M. KAVANAUGH'S tumultuous confirmation to the Supreme Court, the F.B.I. has disclosed more details about its efforts to review the justice's background, leading a group of Senate Democrats to question the thoroughness of the vetting and conclude that it was shaped largely by the Trump White House. "In a letter dated June 30 to two Democratic senators, SHELDON WHITEHOUSE of Rhode Island and CHRIS COONS of Delaware, an F.B.I. assistant director, JILL C. TYSON, said that the most 'relevant' of the 4,500 tips the agency received during an investigation into Mr. Kavanaugh's past were referred to White House lawyers in the Trump administration, whose handling of them remains unclear. The letter left uncertain whether the F.B.I. itself followed up on the most compelling leads." FOLLOWING THE MONEY — "Trump's PAC collected $75 million this year, but so far the group has not put money into pushing for the 2020 ballot reviews he touts," by WaPo's Josh Dawsey and Rosalind Helderman: "Instead, the Save America leadership PAC — which has few limits on how it can spend its money — has paid for some of the former president's travel, legal costs and staff, along with other expenses … The PAC has held onto much of its cash. "Even as he assiduously tracks attempts by his allies to cast doubt on the integrity of last year's election, Trump has been uninterested in personally bankrolling the efforts, relying on an array of other entities and supporters … The tactic allows Trump to build up a war chest to use in the 2022 midterms on behalf of candidates he favors — and to stockpile cash for another potential White House run, an unprecedented maneuver for a former president." HARD-NOSED HOMECOMING — "Attorney General Merrick Garland in Chicago on Thursday and Friday to bolster city's battle with gun violence," by the Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet: "Garland, raised in north suburban Lincolnwood, will be in Chicago for the launch of firearms trafficking strike forces in five cities Thursday. In Chicago, he will visit a Chicago Police Department 'strategic decision support center' in the afternoon. In the evening, Garland will attend a 'listening session' with people who are part of a program to reduce gun violence … "On Friday, Garland will meet with federal prosecutors and other federal law enforcement officials from around Illinois who will be part of the cross-jurisdictional strike forces. … The strike forces are a new Biden administration initiative to reduce violent crime in Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, New York and the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento area. … [Mayor LORI] LIGHTFOOT is expected to meet with Garland while he is in the city." NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN — "U.S. Won't Seek Death Penalty in 7 Cases, Signaling a Shift Under Biden," by NYT's Benjamin Weiser and Hailey Fuchs: "The decisions were revealed in court filings without fanfare in recent months. The decision not to seek the death penalty in the cases comes amid the Biden administration's broad rethinking of capital punishment — and could signal a move toward ending the practice at the federal level. … "It was not immediately clear whether the decision to withdraw the death penalty authorizations in the seven cases was part of a broader effort, and the Justice Department has not announced policy changes in how or when the government seeks the death penalty. But the change in approach from the previous administration has been pronounced." | | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | TRACY STONE-MANNING GOES FORWARD — "Biden's public lands nominee, once linked to eco-saboteurs, advances with key Senate vote," WaPo THE UNEMPLOYMENT PICTURE — "U.S. jobless claims rise to 419,000 from a pandemic low," AP: "The Labor Department said Thursday that jobless claims increased last week to 419,000, the most in two months, from 368,000 the previous week." — WHO'S MISSING FROM THE ECONOMY: "The pandemic drove women out of the workforce. Will they come back?" by Megan Cassella: "Taking into account how the labor force was growing pre-pandemic, 2.3 million fewer women are working now than would have been without the disruption. … So far, low-income women and women of color are lagging far behind other groups in how fast they are returning to work and recovering financially. "Mothers across the income spectrum have been forced to take on additional child care responsibilities as schools and day cares have closed. And some higher-income women are moving to lower cost of living areas — allowing two-parent families to justify going down to one income — or opting to pause or downshift their careers. … [The data] has amped up pressure on Congress and the Biden administration to funnel new federal investments into the child care industry and to enact benefits, including paid family leave." THE RECOVERY — "New Commerce grants designed so 'everyone's included' in pandemic recovery: Raimondo," by ABC's Karen Travers and Luke Barr: "Commerce announced $3 billion in new grants." INFLATION WATCH — "Rising Rents Threaten to Prop Up Inflation," by NYT's Coral Murphy Marcos, Jeanna Smialek and Jim Tankersley: "The rental market, which slumped during the pandemic, has snapped back more quickly than many economists predicted, and renters across the country are facing sticker shock. … If rents continue to take off, it could be bad news both for those seeking housing and for the nation's inflation outlook. "Rental costs play an outsize role in the Consumer Price Index, so a meaningful rise in them could help keep that closely watched government price gauge, which has picked up sharply, higher for longer. Rents are only about half as important to the Federal Reserve's preferred Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation index, but a long bout of high C.P.I. inflation may influence consumers' expectations for future price gains, which could in turn quicken them." THE THREAT WITHIN — "Biden's domestic terrorism strategy concerns advocates," by Betsy Woodruff Swan: "The Biden administration has brought an unprecedented focus to the issue, given the growing lethality of white supremacist domestic terror attacks. … But administration officials have emphasized that the government will pursue domestic terrorists regardless of their ideological sympathies. "And some progressive civil liberties advocates say the Biden strategy likely means people like [JESSICA] REZNICEK — whose concerns about the environment the Biden administration might share — may increasingly find themselves in law enforcement's crosshairs. Many already are: a top Congressional office says one fourth of the FBI's current domestic terror probes are related to the civil unrest last summer … Notably, the Justice Department did not seek the terrorism enhancement at the sentencing of the first Jan. 6 rioter. … [I]t all hinges on what comes next: implementation." — "Biden's DHS Secretary Says Trump Helps 'Create a Space' for Domestic Terrorism," by Vice's Liz Landers and Simone Perez | | | | Be a Policy Pro. POLITICO Pro has a free policy resource center filled with our best practices on building relationships with state and federal representatives, demonstrating ROI, and influencing policy through digital storytelling. Read our free guides today . | | | | | HOW TO RAMP UP … "White House boosts funding for Covid tests as infections continue to surge," by NBC's Heidi Przybyla: "The administration will announce Thursday that it is directing $1.6 billion in Covid testing to high-risk settings like prisons and homeless and domestic violence shelters … "The Biden administration is also using billions of dollars approved by Congress to establish regional hubs to manage testing programs in schools and homeless shelters, and it sent $1.7 billion to states to assist in sequencing the evolving virus. … Much of the overall $12 billion will go toward safely reopening schools in the fall. The administration is also pushing for cheaper at-home tests that parents can use to distinguish among the flu, Covid and other respiratory illnesses." … AND HOW TO EASE UP: "Biden grappling with immigration and travel restrictions as pandemic worsens," by CNN's Priscilla Alvarez and Kevin Liptak: "Biden is facing increasing pressure from US allies and the travel industry to lift pandemic-era restrictions barring entry to the country, leading to tense conversations among administration officials over the health and political risks of opening up too soon. … "[O]ther countries [are beginning] to open to Americans with little clarity over whether the US will reciprocate. One source familiar with the discussions described 'paralysis among agencies' over next steps." BIG SURPRISE — "China rejects WHO plan for study of COVID-19 origin," Reuters DISINFORMATION DIGEST — WaPo's Gerrit De Vynck and Rachel Lerman dive into the question of why, after a year of fighting lies and conspiracy theories about Covid-19 and vaccines, Big Tech is still waging a Sisyphean battle against misinformation. What it comes down to: The issue is baked into the fundamental way the platforms operate and do business. "At the heart of the problem are the companies' content-recommendation algorithms," they write, "which are still generally designed to boost content that engages the most people, regardless of what it is — even conspiracy theories." MORE CASES, FEWER OPTIONS — "Delta variant sweeps through states that dialed back health powers," by Alice Miranda Ollstein and Dan Goldberg: "Many conservative lawmakers spent the first half of the year restricting public health powers such as mask requirements or indoor capacity limits … That's left an increasingly fractured response, with some cities defying state bans and certain wary businesses stipulating that returning workers provide proof of vaccination. Meanwhile, the bans threaten longstanding public health practices that extend beyond the pandemic, from shutting down restaurants that have foodborne illnesses to vaccinating children against diseases that took decades to bring under control." CLIMATE FILES — "Startup Claims Breakthrough in Long-Duration Batteries," by WSJ's Russell Gold … @MikeGrunwald: "This is HUGE climate news if it's as good as it sounds. Cheap long-term storage would make a lot of old arguments irrelevant." ELDER STATESMAN SPEAKS — "At 98 and facing cancer, Bob Dole reckons with legacy of Trump and ponders future of GOP," by USA Today's Susan Page: "'Both sides use it,' the former Senate majority leader noted of the [filibuster], then praised 'the guy from West Virginia' who is defending it. That would be Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. Dole decided on the spot that he'd like to meet Manchin – to invite him over for a chat, no big agenda, across party lines. Like the old days. "'I keep fairly busy,' Dole said during a 45-minute interview in his apartment in the Watergate complex, and he has more things he wants to do. He hopes to regain enough strength to make 'one more trip home,' to Kansas … Dole said there's no question that Trump lost his reelection race in 2020 – narrowly perhaps but fair and square. … 'I'm a Trumper,' Dole said at one point during the conversation. But he added at another, 'I'm sort of Trumped out, though.'" MEDIA MOVE — David Gura is joining NPR as a business correspondent. He most recently was host and correspondent at MSNBC and NBC News, anchoring "Up with David Gura." Announcement TRANSITIONS — Anna R. McCormack is now chief of staff for Rep. David Rouzer (R-N.C.). She most recently was deputy chief of staff and comms director for Rep. Van Taylor (R-Texas). … Tara Kay Skeen is now scheduler for Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah). She most recently was correspondent coordinator for Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). ENGAGED — Catherine Edmonson, VP of government affairs at American Defense International, and Jack Hamilton, customer success manager at ChurnZero, got engaged Saturday in Fort Myers, Fla., where they were visiting his family. He proposed after breakfast and surprised her with her whole family in the backyard, followed by champagne and the pool. The couple met playing pingpong at a bar in D.C. and started dating a few months later, on a trip to Cabo with a mutual friend. 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