INTERVIEW – REP ANDY HARRIS (R-MD)
Andrew “Andy” Harris is a politician and physician who has been the U.S. Representative for Maryland’s 1st congressional district since 2011.
- Rutherford presides as Hogan works from home. (Baltimore Sun) — Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford steps in to chair Board of Public Works meeting. Hogan spokesman says no policy decisions or appointments will be delayed. On the day after Gov. Larry Hogan told Maryland he has an aggressive form of cancer, he stayed out of the State House but worked from the governor’s mansion in between medical appointments. An aide said the governor was keeping touch with the office Tuesday as Lt. Gov. Boyd K. Rutherford filled in for him as chairman of Maryland’s Board of Public Works. Many of those attending the meeting wore lime-green ribbons, a symbol of the fight against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the diagnosis Hogan revealed at a news conference Monday. Much as Hogan has done at the board’s meetings, Rutherford aggressively questioned officials about state contracts presented for approval — sending a message that business would continue as it has since the Republican governor took office in January. Doug Mayer, a Hogan spokesman, said policy decisions and appointments will go forward as planned.
- Senate advances fast-track trade bill for Obama. (The Hill) — The Senate on Tuesday voted to advance President Obama’s trade agenda, approving a measure to end debate on fast-track authority. The 60-37 motion sets up a vote on final passage on Wednesday. If the Senate approves fast-track or trade promotion authority (TPA), it would then be sent to Obama’s desk to become law. Fast-track authority would allow Obama to send trade deals to Congress for up-or-down votes. The White House wants the authority to conclude negotiations on a sweeping trans-Pacific trade deal. Thirteen Democrats backed fast-track in Tuesday’s vote, handing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a major legislative victory. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) voted against the procedural motion. The Democrats cast “yes” votes even though the trade package did not include a workers assistance program for people displaced by increased trade. The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program was a part of the last fast-track package approved by the Senate in May, but became a key part of opposition to the package among Democrats in the House. To move fast-track forward, the White House and GOP leaders in both chambers decided to break TAA away from fast-track and to try to approve both in separate votes.
- House Republicans balk at leaders’ ‘culture of punishment’ (MSNBC) — It started in earnest at the start of the Congress. After two dozen of his own members voted against his re-election as Speaker, John Boehner and the House GOP leadership team starting punishing recalcitrant members. The second wave reached Capitol Hill last week, when House Republicans shook up their whip team, dumping three members who opposed the leadership’s position on a procedural vote the week before. More retribution came yesterday when House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) took a subcommittee gavel away from Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), again because of the June 11 procedural vote. Politico reports that the tensions among House Republicans are on the rise. “A key bloc of conservatives is laying plans to throttle legislation on the House floor and will meet privately this week to discuss a shake-up of GOP leadership. The group is irate at what one called a “culture of punishment” that Speaker John Boehner’s leadership team has instituted against dissenting members.” Meadows, who helped create the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, has quickly become a ringleader of sorts, challenging GOP leaders’ tactics, and his faction will reportedly meet today “to discuss their next move.” The North Carolina Republican decried the very idea of members facing “retribution” based on their voting record. There’s also reported chatter about targeting Boehner’s gavel, but we’ve heard similar scuttlebutt repeatedly in recent years and it’s tough to take the talk seriously.
- House Republicans craft Obamacare subsidies alternative ahead of Supreme Court ruling. (Washington Times/ June 17, 2015) 0 House Republicans settled on the outlines of a plan Wednesday to wean the country off of Obamacare’s subsidies in anticipation of a Supreme Court ruling this month that could throw the massive health program into chaos. Described as a “work in progress,” the plan would continue to pay full subsidies under the Affordable Care Act to all beneficiaries regardless of where they live, but starting next year states could begin to opt out of Obamacare, taking the money as a block grant to help their residents obtain insurance however local officials see fit. The block grants and subsidies, including those for states that stay in Obamacare, would expire in 2017, forcing the next president and Congress to replace the law entirely.
