The Senate's return is a test case for the House - Politico

CORONAVIRUS CONUNDRUM -- If Congress returns too soon and lawmakers contract coronavirus, leaders could face backlash for not keeping members safe. But if Congress doesn’t get back to business, leaders could take heat for sitting on the sidelines in the middle of a crisis. Those are the competing pressures that the Senate and House are under as they make decisions about when — and how — to reopen.

So far, the chambers are taking divergent approaches. But the House will surely be keeping a close eye on operations in the Senate, which is returning today despite D.C.’s stay-at-home order. The Office of Attending Physician is recommending that senators conduct self-health audits and wear face masks, though it is not required; press conferences are being moved to larger rooms; social distancing will be enforced at stakeouts; and only one print pool reporter will be allowed at most committee hearings. More on the guidelines from WSJ’s Lindsay Wise and Natalie Andrews: https://on.wsj.com/2SvQIhu.

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Across the Capitol, the House is delaying its return by at least another week. But some lawmakers and senior aides think the House may need to push its return even further: The Capitol physician informed members of the House Administration Committee Friday that coronavirus cases may not peak in the D.C. region until mid- or even late May. And leaders have so far struggled to reach a bipartisan agreement on how to safely function amid the pandemic.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) laid out his own list of ideas this morning on how to reopen, such as bringing back a few committees first and allowing them to work on bills before calling back the rest of the House for a floor vote. His pitch comes as lawmakers in both parties have grown increasingly frustrated that they’ve been asked to vote on massive coronavirus bills that were hashed out by leadership in back-room deals. More on all this from Sarah, your Huddle host and Heather: https://politi.co/2ypfmcF.

THE HOUSE AND SENATE, however, agree on at least one thing. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined forces to issue a rare joint statement denying a White House offer to provide rapid testing in the Capitol, because they don’t want Congress to get special treatment. Trump sounded off on the decision, which might be a politically savvy move but could also be a public health gamble. “No reason to turn it down, except politics,” Trump tweeted. “Crazy Nancy will use it as an excuse not to show up to work!” More from Marianne: https://politi.co/3c2mnyt.

Related reads: “Back in session: Senate risks a return but House stays away,” via The AP’s Lisa Mascaro: https://bit.ly/2WnTzdo; and “Is the Future of Congress on Zoom?” by Ben Jacobs for New York Magazine: https://nym.ag/3c8217m.

WILL PROGRESSIVES PLAY HARDBALL? -- For all the talk of a rising left, progressives have so far struggled to wield influence in the House during negotiations on the coronavirus relief bills. Part of the reason is that the bills have been drawn up by congressional leaders in a near-empty Capitol — and top-down approach that has become more necessary during the pandemic. And Republicans, who control both the White House and the Senate, have rejected progressives' most ambitious proposals.

But only one Democrat, liberal Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, has actually voted against any of the four rescue packages on the floor. “There’s an enormous amount of pressure, I think, that progressive leadership is under, that’s saying, ‘Well, are you really going to vote against crumbs for hospitals?’” Ocasio Cortez said in an interview just before the vote last month. “I think a lot of that leadership is going to have to depend on outside agitation.”

The next coronavirus relief package represents progressives’ most critical — and perhaps last — chance to make a mark, and they are determined to have a louder voice in the talks. But it’s unclear if they will be able to win major concessions. While the co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus frequently work behind the scenes with Speaker Nancy Pelosi to shape major bills, some in the caucus complain they are disappointed with the final product — which usually skews toward the caucus’ moderate wing, the “majority makers” who delivered Democrats the House. Sarah and Heather with the smart story: https://politi.co/2zWP0zb.

Related reads: “For A.O.C., ‘Existential Crises’ as Her District Becomes the Coronavirus Epicenter,” by NYT’s Mark Leibovich: https://nyti.ms/2KWUPyH; and “Obstacles mount for deal on next coronavirus bill,” from The Hill’s Jordain Carney: https://bit.ly/2KZKnGW.

HAPPY MONDAY! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this May 4. A Florida man was arrested for trying to quarantine on a private Disney island — where would be your dream spot to self-isolate?

FRIDAY’S MOST CLICKED: Burgess and Marianne’s story on how the Senate lacks the capacity to test all senators for coronavirus was the winner.

President Donald Trump speaks during a Fox News virtual town hall from the Lincoln Memorial, Sunday, May 3, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) | Evan Vucci/AP Photo

FAUCI FIGHT -- A battle is heating up over whether Dr. Anthony Fauci will be able to testify on Capitol Hill. WaPo with the scoop: “The White House is blocking Anthony S. Fauci from testifying before a House subcommittee investigating the coronavirus outbreak and response, arguing that it would be ‘counterproductive’ for him to appear next week while in the midst of participating in the government’s response to the pandemic. The White House issued a statement about Fauci’s testimony shortly after The Washington Post published a story Friday afternoon quoting a spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee, who said the White House was refusing to allow Fauci to appear at a subcommittee hearing next week.

"Fauci is expected to appear at a Senate hearing related to testing the following week, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal planning. ‘It’s not muzzling, it’s not blocking, it’s simply trying to ensure we’re able to balance the need for oversight, the legitimate need for oversight, with their responsibilities to handle covid-19 work at their respective agencies and departments,’ said the official, who noted that health risks entailed in moving around in public places were also a factor.” The story from Erica Werner and Mike DeBonis: https://wapo.st/2SzeIjF.

WHO IS DOUG JONES? -- Is the Senate Democrats’ campaign arm preparing to cut Sen. Doug Jones (D-Alabama) loose? Burgess and James Arkin explore: “There's a glaring omission as Democrats lay down millions of dollars to try and win control of the Senate: Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones. The two leading Senate Democratic campaign groups reserved nearly $100 million for the fall in half a dozen states with Republican incumbents. But so far they have put down nothing to protect their most vulnerable incumbent and aren’t yet formally committing to spend big dollars for him.

“Jones said the cavalry will come eventually. ‘I don’t think they have to do that right now. I don’t even have an opponent yet. I don’t think that they’re going to leave us out at all,’ Jones said in an interview. … Jones faces perhaps the most difficult Senate reelection fight in the country, and it’s reflected by Democrats’ caution at going all in. The party has dumped money into tough races in red states in recent years only to see their candidates and incumbents get blown out from Louisiana to Arkansas to Tennessee, but has also won tough races in Montana and West Virginia.” The dispatch: https://politi.co/3dfg0bC.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SOCIAL DISTANCING -- Moderate and vulnerable Republicans are notably keeping their distance from Trump during the pandemic. The New York Times with the story: “Every evening from his kitchen table in southwestern Michigan, Representative Fred Upton, a moderate Republican running for his 18th term in office, posts a coronavirus dispatch for his constituents, highlighting his own efforts to respond to the crisis and the news from Washington, often with cameos from Democrats. Absent from his Facebook updates are any mentions of President Trump, whose response to the pandemic has raised questions that threaten to drag down Republicans’ electoral prospects this fall, or of the president’s provocative news briefings, which have become a forum for partisan attacks on Democrats and dubious claims about the virus.

“It is a tricky task for lawmakers like Mr. Upton in centrist districts throughout the country, who understand that their re-election prospects — and any hope their party might have of taking back the House of Representatives — could rise or fall based on how they address the pandemic. Already considered a politically endangered species before the novel coronavirus began ravaging the United States, these moderates are now working to counter the risk that their electoral fates could become tied to Mr. Trump’s response at a time when the independent voters whose support they need are increasingly unhappy with his performance.” More from Catie Edmondson and Rebecca R. Ruiz: https://nyti.ms/2z9zvTW.

TRANSITIONS

Zack Roday, who was communications director for House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans, has started as a senior strategist for GuidePost Strategies.

Rina Patel is now associate director of allied groups for women, youth and LGBTQ+ outreach at the Democratic National Convention Committee. She previously was legislative aide for the Congressional Equality Caucus.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House is out.

The Senate meets at 3 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., the Senate is expected to vote on confirmation of the nomination of Robert J. Feitel to be inspector general of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

AROUND THE HILL

House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) holds a conference call briefing with the co-chairs of the caucus Task Force on Aging and Families to discuss seniors and COVID-19 at 2 p.m.

TRIVIA

FRIDAY’S WINNER: Maggie Herman was the first person to guess that Sen. John Barrasso was once a rodeo doctor.

TODAY’S QUESTION: From Maggie: Which President fought Congress to keep a pair of tiger cubs, gifted by the Sultan of Oman, at the White House? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess to [email protected].

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