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Congress

Capitol agenda: GOP tries to rip off the Epstein Band-Aid

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10 months ago

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Two big votes are hitting the House floor Tuesday afternoon, with each party caught between unity and accountability.

ON THE GOP SIDE — The House is expected to easily pass a resolution calling on the DOJ to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein after a monthslong battle by President Donald Trump and GOP leaders to block the vote.

Trump said Monday he would sign the bill if it lands on his desk, giving political cover for Republicans to vote for the measure. The House will vote under suspension of the rules Tuesday, limiting debate and requiring a two-thirds majority.

What we’re really watching is the Senate. Last night, Republicans advanced rule language that effectively forces Speaker Mike Johnson to send the bill across the Rotunda. If he doesn’t, the original discharge petition remains in force, triggering another House vote.

Senate GOP leaders haven’t committed to putting a vote on the floor, but Trump’s new endorsement has changed the dynamic.

Johnson said he wants the Senate to amend the measure to include more protections for victims and whistleblowers. But that would require another House vote, further extending a saga most Hill Republicans want to move past as quickly as possible.

ON THE DEM SIDE — The House is also expected to vote at Tuesday’s 2 p.m. series on a resolution condemning Rep. Chuy García (D-Ill.) for a move in which he retired and functionally guaranteed his chief of staff would succeed him.

The resolution, triggered by Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), forces Democrats to choose between sticking by a longtime colleague and condemning a hardball move many find difficult to stomach.

García defended himself on the floor Monday night, saying he chose to put family first by retiring and suggesting that what goes around might come around: “One day you might be the one making that choice, and you shouldn’t have to debate it on the House floor.”

But one House Democrat, granted anonymity to speak candidly, estimated to Blue Light News that “a not insignificant number of Democrats” will support the disapproval measure after only Gluesenkamp Perez and Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) opposed a motion to table Monday. Keep an eye on more moderate Democrats like Nevada Rep. Susie Lee, who told Blue Light News “it was questionable, the timing,” while many others in the caucus hold their nose.

“It’s an unpleasant one,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), who said he will vote against it Tuesday. “Chuy García is a friend and a great guy. But I don’t like the optics of this.”

What else we’re watching:   

— ACA latest: House GOP leaders will lead a high-level discussion in their conference meeting Tuesday morning on how to address rising health care costs. It comes as Senate Republicans are quickly developing their own legislative proposals and some House Republicans fret they could get jammed by the upper chamber.

— CBO hearing: Congressional Budget Office Director Phillip Swagel is set to testify Tuesday morning before the House Budget Committee. The oversight hearing will be the first chance GOP lawmakers have to air their grievances over the agency’s analysis of their party’s megabill since the legislation was enacted in July.

— NDAA crunch time: House and Senate lawmakers have a critical week ahead to reach a compromise on major defense policy legislation if they want to have a deal ready to hit the floor after the Thanksgiving break for an early December vote.

Meredith Lee Hill, Jordain Carney, Nicholas Wu, Shia Kapos, Calen Razor, Benjamin Guggenheim, Katherine Tully-McManus and Connor O’Brien contributed to this report.

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Congress

Tillis renews calls for Hegseth’s ouster

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5 hours ago

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September 2, 2026

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Sen. Thom Tillis renewed his call for President Donald Trump to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday, following the resignation earlier this week of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.

“I have never witnessed more inept management of the brave men and women who serve our country,” the outgoing two-term North Carolina Republican wrote on X. “He is intimidated by competence and retreats to ginning up culture wars instead of soberly attending to the vital work of our national defense and the health and well-being of our fighting force.”

Driscoll, whose long-rumored resignation became official this week, had clashed with Hegseth over the Defense secretary’s reluctance to modernize the Army and his firings of dozens of senior officers. Hegseth has focused more on cultural issues — including grooming and fitness standards — within the department.

“If we had a @SecWar who maintained the same priorities and forward-thinking, he would be fighting to retain talented leaders like Dan and the many flag officers he has forced into retirement,” Tillis charged. “Instead, he is creating a leadership void at the top of our military ranks.”

The White House and Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on Tillis’ post.

Tillis, who is not running for reelection in November, has openly clashed with Hegseth since Trump tapped the former Fox News host to lead the Pentagon in 2024.

In May, Tillis told POLITICO he believed Hegseth had misinformed Trump on the dynamics of a war in Iran. Firing Hegseth, he said, was on “a Christmas wish list.” In a book set to be released next month, Tillis branded Hegseth — along with a handful of other White House officials — as “MAGATS” and accused them of “not looking around corners and taking care of this president.”

It hasn’t earned him friends in the administration.

“The media said how brave he was to take me on, but he wasn’t brave, he was just the opposite – HE WAS A QUITTER!” Trump wrote on Truth Social in May. “Now he can have all the fun he wants for a few months, with some of his RINO friends, screwing the Republican Party. In the end it will only get bigger, and better, and stronger, than ever before!”

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Congress

No immediate plans to punish rogue House Democrats for bailing out GOP

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6 hours ago

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September 2, 2026

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Despite a stern message from party leaders, a panel of House Democrats did not settle on any particular consequences for the pair of lawmakers who crossed party lines Tuesday to advance an otherwise troubled slate of Republican-led bills.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and fellow leaders said the matter would be reviewed by the Democratic Committee on Caucus Rules, which convened Wednesday morning for a prescheduled listening session.

Attendees discussed possible changes to the rules that govern House Democrats’ conduct for next term. Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.), the panel’s chair, suggested to reporters that discussion included what should happen if members vote with Republicans on procedural measures like the one Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) supported Tuesday.

“There’s been a variety of suggestions to change our rules, not just regarding the last couple days, but several suggestions that have been percolating for some time,” Levin said, while adding that any changes would happen only “in the next couple of months.”

The lack of urgency stands in contrast to the stern statement Jeffries and fellow leaders made Tuesday about the rogue members’ “breach of trust” — not to mention the rage some rank-and-file House Democrats are expressing. Some have floated removing the pair from their committees — particularly Gluesenkamp Perez’ seat on the exclusive Appropriations panel.

“Somebody else who is willing to think about other people needs to be on that seat, that exclusive committee,” said one House Democrat granted anonymity to speak candidly.

Jeffries, who was not present at the meeting, also seemed to have a speedier timeline for responding to Gluesenkamp Perez and Golden. He told reporters after the meeting wrapped that he was waiting on feedback from Levin and that the caucus would have conversations “amongst the family about the best way to move forward.”

Asked about his timeline for action against the pair, Jeffries said, “Sooner rather than later.”

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Mike Johnson says he has ‘no plans’ to campaign with Max Miller

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6 hours ago

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September 2, 2026

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Speaker Mike Johnson said he has no plans to campaign with embattled Rep. Max Miller — or visit his home state of Ohio at all — before the midterms.

“I have no plans to go to Ohio between now and the election,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday. “I’ve said everything I can say about the situation. It’s up to the people in his district.”

Miller is running in what had been considered a safe red district before allegations of abuse from his ex-wife Emily Moreno, the daughter of GOP Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, exploded into public view in recent weeks. Ohio’s two GOP senators have called on Miller to resign.

Miller has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to continue his reelection campaign. A spokesperson for Miller declined to comment.

Johnson said Monday that he supports Miller’s reelection bid and called him a “great member.” The House Ethics Committee is investigating the allegations, which include physical assaults on his wife and daughter.

“He’s running a good campaign,” Johnson said Wednesday. “He has a nasty divorce. He’s, of course, vehemently denied the claims made. And as I’ve said many times, we allow due process to play out.”

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