Samantha Handler

covering policy @PunchbowlNews | packers shareholder | DM for signal

[Samantha Handler @sn_handler]

👀 Gov’t funding runs out Dec. 11

[Laura Weiss @LauraEWeiss16]

Senate Dems also discussed lame duck government funding options at the Tuesday lunch

Senate Dems are weighing a range of options to use the Dec. 11 funding deadline to push back on President Donald Trump’s war in Iran

[Laura Weiss @LauraEWeiss16]

Senate Dems also discussed lame duck government funding options at the Tuesday lunch

Senate Dems are weighing a range of options to use the Dec. 11 funding deadline to push back on President Donald Trump’s war in Iran

[Laura Weiss @LauraEWeiss16]

Senate Minority Leader Schumer is working w/ Senate Dems to put together their plan for an initial wave of bills in the first 100 days next Congress

Senate Dems talked through these plans at their Tuesday lunch. Dems want to prioritize targeted bills on big midterms issues like healthcare, tariffs & the Iran war, eyeing proposals they think can get R support to pass

If R's block Senate Dems’ bills early next year, the reconciliation conversation is expected to get real a lot faster. Senate Dems are also preparing to be ready for a potential reconciliation push, which progressives are eager for

Senate Dems are coordinating closely w/ the House on these efforts too

[Samantha Handler @sn_handler]

DeLauro says Congress will need a short-term CR to avoid a shutdown on Dec. 11

Emphasizes her goal is still to get full year bills done by the end of the year. Says Collins needs to post the rest of the Senate bills.

“I want to make it as short as possible,” DeLauro said on the CR.

[Samantha Handler @sn_handler]

The incoming Dem Appropriations Committee chairs both say they’ll use every tool available to them for oversight.

It’s rare to see a subpoena from the spending panels, but it’s possible next Congress.

More in Portal ⬇️

[Punchbowl News @PunchbowlNews]

Latest from 🔵 Portal: The top House and Senate Democratic appropriators haven’t ruled out the use of subpoenas next year.

Plus, how we're using Portal.

@sn_handler with details: https://t.co/0NTpEEylDT

[Laura Weiss @LauraEWeiss16]

The White House has withdrawn Lee Rudofsky's nomination for an appeals court judge opening & is nomination James Hiland instead

Rudofsky was facing resistance on GOP side in Judiciary https://t.co/sgxVJkJjS0

[Anthony Adragna @AnthonyAdragna]

Incoming head of House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee — @BettyMcCollum04 — out with a blistering statement after tonight's impeachment vote:

"When Democrats take the majority in the 120th Congress, we will hold Secretary Hegseth accountable for his illegal actions.”

[Samantha Handler @sn_handler]

What Patty Murray told us on what Democrats are thinking on Iran war restrictions in funding bills, and her priorities for next year as Appropriations Committee chair

[Punchbowl News @PunchbowlNews]

Sen. Patty Murray, the top Senate Democratic appropriator, says Democrats are exploring “every option available to us” on how to end the Iran war via spending bills.

@sn_handler has more:
https://t.co/Ipc0MXq2Fa

[Samantha Handler @sn_handler]

News: The Senate Appropriations Committee just posted two FY2027 bills: Ag and MilCon-VA.

The MilCon-VA bill would provide $173.2 billion. Ag-FDA would provide $27.3 billion.

Approps four corners met yesterday but didn't come to any agreements on a CR or toplines for full-year bills.

[Andrew Desiderio @AndrewDesiderio]

NEWS: THUNE RE-ELECTED SENATE GOP LEADER

Rest of GOP leadership team also reelected — Barrasso, Cotton, Capito, Lankford.

Sen. Moreno set to take over NRSC

[Punchbowl News @PunchbowlNews]

Sen. Jerry Moran is pressing ahead with potentially becoming the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee next year.

More from @sn_handler and @LauraEWeiss16:
https://t.co/uZu4075LRf

[Laura Weiss @LauraEWeiss16]

Senate Republicans leaving their meeting now

Several GOP senators said the plan is to reconvene at 2 pm but no votes yet on leadership posts

There was a lot of discussion about potential delay of elections but not a challenge to Thune, per Sen. Justice

[Anna Palmer @apalmerdc]

Some of the biggest policy fights in America right now aren’t happening only in Washington. They’re happening in state capitals, big cities, and in the tension between them and Congress.

That’s why I’m excited to share that Punchbowl News is launching States, a new free weekly newsletter covering the power, people, and politics behind the growing collisions between the states and Washington.

[Max Cohen @maxpcohen]

Latest in race for next House Ag Cmte chair:

A coalition of Ohio commodity organizations sent a letter to Jeffries backing Shontel Brown as a leader who can “build the broad coalition necessary to advance comprehensive agricultural legislation.”

https://t.co/eyfX4XeGiL

[Joshua Siegel @SiegelScribe]

73-25 final tally to advance on BAAJA. Not indicative of where folks land on final passage, but that’s a big vote to start

[Brendan Pedersen @BrendanPedersen]

News in PBN texts: Sherrod Brown suggested he could still hold a committee gavel in the 120th Congress, pushing back on the idea he might have to wield power in other ways

“I may be holding a gavel, first of all,” Brown said.

Dems would need to change rules for it to happen >>

[Laura Weiss @LauraEWeiss16]

New from @PunchbowlNews Midday: Senate GOP’s judge rush begins

All the latest on the lame duck scramble to confirm judges. Around two dozen noms already awaiting floor or committee action & a new apparent nom in the works - https://t.co/B8OgvmS5Vi

[Samantha Handler @sn_handler]

HFC wants to limit spending to current levels via CR

[House Freedom Caucus @freedomcaucus]

🚨BREAKING: House Freedom Caucus leadership just dropped a lame-duck roadmap for @SpeakerJohnson and @LeaderJohnThune.

Strip Democrat leverage. Deliver real wins. Do it before the clock runs out.

No leaving town until it’s done — let’s finish the job!

[Samantha Handler @sn_handler]

No surprise here — Murkowski “absolutely intends” to be the next ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, per her office.

[Samantha Handler @sn_handler]

UPDATE. GOP conference rules do provide a path toward leadership on a committee even if a member is not the most senior member.

This would allow Moran to try to take the Approps post even if Murkowski also wants it.

Here’s the rule:

Rule V: Republican members of each standing committee at the beginning of each Congress shall select from their number a chairman or ranking minority member, who need not be the member with the longest consecutive service on such committee, subject to confirmation by the Conference. But in any event the selection shall be by a majority of the Republican members of such committee. There shall be a vote taken in the committee and in the Conference by a separate secret written ballot.

[Em Luetkemeyer @em_luetkemeyer]

Rep.-elect Zack Mullock (D-NJ) says he didn’t realize he had a shot in his race against Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) until August. He was shocked about his own win.

“Probably, I know less than any other elected official in that building. I had to Google the salary of a congressperson just two days ago,” Mullock said.