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By Seung Min Kim | 04/21/2016 08:03 AM EDT


By Seung Min Kim (skim@politico.com or @seungminkim)

PAUL RYAN ON BOEHNER: 'I THINK I DO IT BETTER' -- Deirdre Walsh and Manu Raju for CNN: "Paul Ryan wants everyone to know he's no John Boehner. 'I think I do it better,' the House speaker told CNN during an interview this week, adding that his leadership style is different than his predecessor, whose resignation last year shocked Washington. 'Not to knock John, but I spend more time with all of our members on a continual basis.' Ryan, the GOP's vice presidential nominee in 2012, has won over conservatives by trying to showcase a more inclusive leadership style than Boehner. But he's still beset by the same internal divisions that led to Boehner's ouster."

--More from the CNN duo: "The speaker's balancing act comes at the same time he's fending off attempts to draft him in the nasty 2016 presidential race that's tearing his party apart. Ryan again repeated in the interview he's not running this time. But pressed by CNN about whether he closed the door to a future bid, he signaled his refusal is limited to this year's election. 'Well no. But I don't think that far down the road. I made a decision in this cycle for 2016 not to run for President,' Ryan said." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5f1872e1d7e096899725d25e2fa5bd75d613b0c6250cc3931b

--New this morning: Ryan will host a town hall with millennials at the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service next Wednesday, April 27, at 1:45 p.m. The topic? #ConfidentAmerica, of course. Media should RSVP by April 26 to Ryan.King@georgetown.edu.

EDWARDS CONFRONTS CBC OVER NON-ENDORSEMENTS - The contentious Maryland Senate primary takes another turn, from POLITICO's Rachael Bade: "On the verge of a possible upset of the Democratic Party's longtime golden boy, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, in Tuesday's Maryland Senate primary, Rep. Donna Edwards has a question for her fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus: Why aren't more of you endorsing me? POLITICO has learned that Edwards met privately last week with several CBC members to voice her frustration that so few African-American lawmakers had offered her their support, according to five sources familiar with the meetings." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5f9ea4a37609f4abca975bbe49abd4343dc740c973a3a8d3fb

HAMILTON TO STAY ON $10, TUBMAN ON $20: A roundup of congressional reax -

--Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who authored the "Women on the Twenty Act" and the "Harriet Tubman Currency Tribute Act": "Harriet Tubman's fight for equality and freedom embodies the American spirit and she deserves to be featured beside our founding fathers."

--Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who's sponsored companion legislation in the House: "All's well that ends well and I can't wait to spend a twenty with a woman's picture on it. To celebrate, I'll go with my wife, my daughters, or my mom as they spend a $20 bill with a woman's face for the first time."

--Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.): "It is unnecessary to diminish Jackson in order to honor Tubman. Jackson was the first common man to be elected president. He fought to save the Union. He defined an American era. He helped found the Democratic party. And he was a great Tennessean."

QUOTE OF THE DAY - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a frugal man who isn't sure he wants to pay for five nights in a hotel to attend the Republican National Convention, via the AP: "I will do something different and maybe stay in hotels or motels I can buy a night at a time." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5fd335fbd4cf677d10fb2925d3e719d5de9383c40d7270fa1e

QUOTE OF THE DAY, PART II - More takes on the GOP convention, from Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) via The Hill: "If it's a Trump coronation, I'm not going. If it's a fight, it may be fun to watch." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5f801485c33ded0586be7fb7f46be18472216cc37af46d16c8

TIME RUNNING SHORT FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM - POLITICO's Seung Min Kim and Burgess Everett: "Time is running out to reboot efforts to reform the nation's criminal justice laws, and supporters of reform are making a last-ditch attempt to enlist vulnerable Senate Republicans ... The chief Republican backers, led by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas, have quietly courted key GOP senators for weeks to show Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) they could produce sweeping support for the bill, which would relax some mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenders."

--"Yet, the bill's sponsors have hinted at a formal rollout for weeks, with no official announcement ... Supporters acknowledge they need to prove to McConnell that there are 60 votes for the measure before the majority leader hauls a bill onto the floor that will cleave the Republican Conference. 'We have a lot of progress made and people saying that we've gone in the right direction. But we're not getting answers from some people,' Grassley said in a brief interview Wednesday. 'Like for instance, one senator says, 'I'll let you know Monday.' He hasn't let us know.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5fd6036f9f812759eba924657ceb00d7b41cfc401bc83d6c5e

STUTZMAN'S SPENDING UNDER SCRUTINY - An investigation from the AP's Brian Slodysko in Indianapolis: "A Facebook page belonging to the wife of an Indiana congressman touted the family's visit to the Ronald Reagan presidential library in Simi Valley, Calif., with photos showing the two children by the conservative icon's grave and the couple in front of a 'humble' wooden table where Reagan signed a massive tax cut. Although a caption on one of the photos describes the trip as a 'family vacation,' documents obtained by The Associated Press show Rep. Marlin Stutzman's Senate campaign paid more than $2,000 for the four airline tickets to Los Angeles and covered expenses for a van rental and
Hilton hotel room recorded during the August trip."

--"On Wednesday, Stutzman campaign manager Josh Kelley said the candidate repaid the campaign fund last week for the family's portion of the trip after the AP began asking questions about it ... The California visit represents just a small part of the over $300,000 in flights, vehicle charges, meals and hotel stays Stutzman's campaign fund has spent since the tea party-backed Republican went to Washington in 2010 on a pledge to oppose special interests, an AP review found." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5f12af012b57d20d1ccae82da185c9151c1c360b30dfdfaa29

IT'S THURSDAY, April 21, 2016 and you're reading the Huddle, where we are singing "Happy Birthday" to our colleagues across the pond at POLITICO Europe, which launched one year ago today. Check them out at http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5f2c296cd86a21bd9574fc8055948bf1880f19a73cbef6f5be But don't worry Congress, you'll always be our first love. I'm at skim@politico.com and on Twitter at @seungminkim.

My new followers include @TheoTypes and @aajanewengland.


** A message from the Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice: Are you one of the 41 million Americans who wears contact lenses? Congress is currently considering legislation that would dramatically increase your costs, reduce your choice, and jeopardize your eye health. Learn more about the anti-consumer bill that aims to roll back basic consumer rights: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5ffebf8bc4f75a6f6507f3d7c66316ef4d94007536ae091aa8 **

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House is in today at 9 a.m., with first and last votes expected between 11 a.m. and noon on more IRS legislation. The Senate is in at 10 a.m. and will continue on the energy and water appropriations bill. One amendment vote is scheduled for 11:45 a.m., with more possible.

AROUND THE HILL - Reps. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) and others will hold a news conference on combating heroin abuse at 9 a.m. at House Triangle. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and the House Military Veterans Caucus will host event at 10 a.m. with Canine Companions for Independence in 121 Cannon. Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Labor Secretary Tom Perez will hold a news conference on the minimum wage at 10 a.m. at House Triangle.

Pelosi will hold her weekly press conference at 10:45 a.m. in HVC Studio A. Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will hold his weekly press conference at 11:30 a.m. in HVC Studio A. Reps. John Larson (D-Conn.) and John Lewis (D-Ga.) will hold a news conference on the anniversary of the SERVE Act at noon at House Triangle. Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) will meet with Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland at Hart 528 at 2 p.m., with a photo op to begin. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) will also meet with Garland at 4:30 p.m. in Russell 231, with a photo op and brief remarks at the top of the meeting.

SNEAK PEEK: LATEST IN HB2 FIGHT - The three Democrats in North Carolina's congressional delegation will be sending a letter to Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and leaders in the state's general assembly later today urging repeal of HB2, the so-called "bathroom" law. An excerpt from the letter, signed by Reps. David Price, G.K. Butterfield and Alma Adams: "H.B. 2 has also put at risk federal funding for North Carolina that our congressional delegation has worked hard, on a bipartisan basis, to secure ... In short, this law codifies discrimination. Beyond pandering to fear and ignorance on bathroom use, it broadly threatens the rights of our citizens, the economic opportunities and quality of
life we hold dear, and the future of the great State of North Carolina."

SENATE PASSES COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY BILL - The Washington Post's Chris Mooney: "It doesn't happen every day, but it did happen Wednesday. "The U.S. Senate acted in a bipartisan fashion to pass a sweeping energy bill, touching on everything from cybersecurity for power plants to the future of the grid. The bill resulted from collaboration between Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Washington Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell. It has been widely praised by many industry groups, and received somewhat more mixed reviews from the environmental community." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5fba02be00f6f65093863c8fd85db44a6a94e4b51d9c8d418d

--Flint aid didn't make it on here, but Senate Democrats rolled out their own water infrastructure legislation on Wednesday. HuffPo's Arthur Delaney and Laura Barron-Lopez with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5f7cc7579b37f8b2f6439453f5727251974bd9ab8bfb33a9d9

TED CRUZ JUST CAN'T WIN OVER SENATE GOP - Burgess, with Katie Glueck for POLITICO: "Increasingly, Cruz's colleagues are grudgingly saying nice things about the Texas senator who has given them headaches for years with his strident stands and scorched-earth tactics. But when it comes down to it, they just can't bring themselves to make it official ... And Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho went on CNN this month to say he "hopes" Cruz wins. Well, did he endorse? 'Wolf Blitzer said I did,' Risch said in an interview, adding that he did 'not really' throw his backing behind Cruz." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5f4473ead6c3fc70d508cb1beadc89c8d010e2bb09d1618a49

BIPARTISAN CHEERS FOR LIBRARY OF CONGRESS NOMINEE - Rema Rahman and Bridget Bowman write about the confirmation hearing for Carla Hayden, who would be the first woman and first African-American to lead the Library of Congress: "At a Senate Rules and Administration hearing held Wednesday, senators greeted her nomination favorably, and Chairman Roy Blunt, R-Mo., predicted the nomination would not stall ... At Wednesday's hearing, members questioned her stance on a variety of issues plaguing the library's functions, namely how to make its voluminous materials available digitally and whether the copyright division ought to be spun out of the agency."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5fc93af6dec725c6fc1b900323dfba0c09309333918acd1833

DAILY GARLAND: GRAHAM PRAISES NOMINEE, BUT NO HEARING - Your Huddle author: "Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) heaped praise for Merrick Garland after meeting privately with the Supreme Court nominee on Wednesday, but said he won't change his mind on not moving his nomination ... 'He's a very nice man. He's, I think, an honest, very capable judge,' Graham told reporters after his sit-down with Garland. He noted that Garland 'worked well' with current Chief Justice John Roberts when both men were on the D.C. Circuit Court, 'so there's no beef with him. Well-qualified man.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5f00ec4f199eff2f4d2cc21b17c159985e3ad70e1e864d1fd6

ZIKA AID ADVANCING IN SENATE? - Emmarie Huetteman has the latest for the New York Times: "The Senate may be nearing an agreement on emergency funding to respond to the growing threat from the Zika virus, marking a potential reversal by Republicans who had been reluctant to approve more aid. The financing, which is being considered by some members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, would supplement the $510 million the Obama administration recently redirected from fighting Ebola toward Zika, as congressional Republicans had urged." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5fd9d8f7b0cc3c3cbc839e310528cb2aeace5ae3a1faa93815

WEDNESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Logan Ferree was the first person to correctly answer that Thomas Dewey was the Republican candidate who won New York in 1948 but still lost the general election to Harry Truman. Huddle trivia fan Mitch McConnell also chimed in with the correct response.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Logan has today's question: In honor of Earth Day this week, the first Earth Day in 1970 included a bipartisan line up of speakers, including which Republican Senate minority leader? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. E-mail skim@politico.com.

GET HUDDLE emailed to your Blackberry, iPhone or other mobile device each morning. Just enter your email address where it says "Sign Up." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5fcabe30fab3a1452b15ad330bb68223d1086657db63944e4a

** A message from the Coalition for Contact Lens Consumer Choice: Contact lens consumers should have the right to buy their lenses at affordable prices whenever and wherever they wish, whether it's online, over-the-phone, or in a store. We fought for this, achieving victory in 2003 when Congress passed vital consumer protections that addressed the numerous anti-competitive practices in the contact lens market. But a new Senate bill, misleadingly named the Contact Lens Consumer Health Protection Act (CLCHPA) is a blatant attack on these protections.

THIS ANTI-CONSUMER LEGISLATION WOULD REDUCE CHOICE AND INCREASE COSTS FOR 41 MILLION CONTACT LENS CONSUMERS - it's just the latest in a long line of efforts to control the contact lens market and increase optometrist profits at the expense of patients. Don't let contact lens manufacturers and optometrists hold patients "hostage" and deny consumers their right to easily and affordably buy contact lenses online. Get the facts at: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=fb1320e52f241b5ffebf8bc4f75a6f6507f3d7c66316ef4d94007536ae091aa8 **

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