Monday, September 14 | By Elliott Davis and Steff Danielle Thomas
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It’s Monday. Or, more specifically, the First Monday After NFL Week 1. If some of you are still sluggish after all the football yesterday, we don’t blame you.
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Programming note: Hello! We are Elliott Davis and Steff Danielle Thomas filling in for Cate. Please send your tips, comments and story ideas to edavis@thehill.com or sthomas@thehill.com.
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Another mail voting snag for Trump: |
© The Associated Press | Julia Demaree Nikhinson and Jeff Chiu
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Another federal judge has blocked the U.S. Postal Service from implementing President Trump’s executive order that would restrict mail-in voting ahead of the midterm elections.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, found that the president’s plan — which would require states to upload voter lists based on citizenship data, among other requirements — wasn’t authorized by Congress.
What does this mean?: The Supreme Court was already considering an emergency request from the Justice Department to lift another judge’s block, and The Hill’s Zach Schonfeld reports that decision could come any day now. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was assigned to that request. The high court’s decision there will likely be the next big domino to fall.
What does the plan entail?: Beyond the voter list requirement, the Postal Service would have states ensure their mail ballot envelopes meet specific design specs, including an official logo and barcode, to be sent. Schonfeld notes blue states have warned it is too late to change their designs with the midterms less than two months away.
đŦFollow today’s live blog
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He isn’t giving up on $5K checks: |
Trump over the weekend doubled down on his promise to pay American adults $5,000 each if Republicans keep control of Congress in November, saying the payouts will “happen 100 percent.”
The president has made the midterms a key part of the pitch, saying the checks would depend on Republicans continuing to bring in revenue before the next term.
“I don’t want to do it now, because if the Democrats get it, our country will be in shambles and they won’t be able to do it,” he said Sunday. “If we get in, we’re taking in tremendous amounts of money. We’re taking in over $20 trillion in terms of investment. And with the Democrats, all of that money will be thrown out. If the Democrats get in, they won’t be able to pay it.”
Trump first floated the dividends last week during the GOP’s midterm convention. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also claimed the checks would not rely on taxpayer dollars or add to the deficit.
đ Here is a reminder of the dividend pledge
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➤ NOT ALL REPUBLICANS ON BOARD: |
Some House Republicans are pumping the brakes on the idea.
Rep. Mike Lawler (N.Y.) said the key question is how the government would pay for it, while Rep. Mike Flood (Neb.) said funding troops and replenishing munitions should take priority.
The roughly $1.35 trillion price tag would cover checks for the estimated 270 million adults in the U.S., putting the proposal against other major spending priorities Congress will have to weigh.
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AI anxiety hits Congress: |
The internet over the weekend hosted a storm of warnings on the dangers of artificial intelligence’s (AI) rapid development after a former Anthropic researcher said last week that AI could destroy humanity in the near future.
Close watchers of technology will know that similar warnings have been shared for years, but the fears have appeared to reach a fever pitch — just in time for the House and Senate to return from recess today.
đ Read more: ‘Debate, confusion explodes over AI ‘doomsday’ warnings’
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday called for the Trump administration to give all senators a classified briefing on the dangers AI poses. His comments came after House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sunday called for Congress to act on the issue urgently, while Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) took a different tack, saying, “We don’t need everybody to panic right now.”
The House Republican leader was echoing remarks from Trump, who told reporters while in Ireland that guardrails can be placed on AI but that the U.S. cannot lose the race to China in the process. (He later pushed back on reports that he was downplaying AI’s risks.)
Then, this morning, the president posted on Truth Social that the “only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!” (Time will tell if this calms everybody down.)
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➤ WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING ON THE HILL?: |
The Senate returns on Monday from about a monthlong recess, while the House will also be back, but only for a week before departing again until after the midterms.
They will have a lot on their plate, according to The Hill’s Sudiksha Kochi. Here are some of the lawmakers’ priorities:
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- Budget resolution talks in the Senate
- A procedural vote on the Clarity Act crypto bill in the Senate
- Consideration of the Senate-passed Russia sanctions bill in the House
- A House bill aimed at protecting ratepayers from the high costs of data centers
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And let’s not forget any potential action on AI regulation.
Kochi has more in her latest edition of This Week on the Hill, where Insiders can learn more.
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Mission-ready solutions built by veterans. |
More than 3,000 veterans with disabilities are employed through SourceAmerica and our nationwide nonprofit network.
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Trump lauds White House glow-up: |
Trump seems pretty happy with the White House these days.
The president on Sunday revisited his makeover of the executive mansion, declaring that 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. was a “dump” before he started fixing it up.
Trump pointed to photos of cracks and imperfections in the North Portico, claiming the building’s exterior was “practically falling off.” Now, he says, it’s in better shape than it was when the White House was built in 1792.
The upgrades aren’t exactly subtle: A new 100-foot-wide helipad is finished, complete with a giant presidential seal made from California granite. Crews are also racing ahead on Trump’s 90,000-square-foot ballroom, with 250 workers reportedly putting in 20-hour days, seven days a week.
Then there’s the Rose Garden, which he had paved over and turned into an event space.
Next up: Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit the White House on Sept. 24 — just in time for the new look.
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➤ đKENNEDY CENTER BATTLE UPDATE:
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The Kennedy Center is facing a financial cliff. New documents warn the performing arts center could be on the brink of bankruptcy and could close as early as Tuesday, according to The Washington Post.
Trump and his allies have argued that his name — and fundraising power — are key to keeping it afloat. The president is also pushing for other renovations to the center.
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— đ You've probably seen their work, even if you don't know their names. Tomorrow, The Hill will highlight 25 Capitol Hill staffers who have worked diligently behind the scenes on the issues dominating the news. đ° Keep an eye out for the fourth Notable Staffer List. Here is last year’s list for a reminder.
— đĸ️Trump floated the idea of the U.S. staying in Iran to “keep the oil,” comparing it to his administration’s deal to purchase Venezuelan crude. The president’s comments mark an expansion of his vision for what could come after the war concludes.
— ✈️ Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) said the “gravity” of his plane’s emergency landing in Lake Wausau over the weekend is just starting to hit him. The lawmaker, who is running for governor, was left with minor injuries after the aircraft incident.
— đ Lane Kiffin, football coach at Louisiana State University, has become a flashpoint in the fight over college football’s new rules after his recruiting tactics drew a lawsuit and threatened LSU’s standing in the Southeastern Conference. Insiders can read more here from The Hill’s Dominick Mastrangelo.
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The New York Times: Six Strangers Connected by Disaster
ProPublica: Donald Trump Jr.’s Bahamas Wedding Was Secretly Bankrolled by Russian Oligarch Close to Putin
The Washington Post: King Charles to host AI leaders as disaster warnings mount
Politico: Illegal deportations spike under Trump's ICE push
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The House and Senate return. President Trump is in Washington. (All times EDT)
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12:30-5 p.m.: Trump participates in a series of policy meetings.
Noon: House convenes
3 p.m.: Senate convenes
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đĨĒ Celebrate: Today is National Eat a Hoagie Day. Whether you call it a hoagie, sub or hero — enjoy. My favorite sandwich comes on a French roll (obviously) with smoked turkey, bacon, havarti cheese, green peppers, spinach, onion, tomato and Dijon mustard! Feel free to share yours with us.
đAward season: The 78th Emmy Awards air tonight. Are you bingeing on any good shows or reality TV these days? Well, they could be among the winners. Here’s how to watch the program, which airs at 8 p.m. EDT on NBC.
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The mind of a journalist trying to catch up on news from the weekend when Monday comes back around looks a lot like these little piggies.
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