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03/06/2018 07:55 AM EDT


By Nolan D. McCaskill (nmccaskill@politico.com or @NolanDMcCaskill)

GOP MOVES TO TALK TRUMP OUT OF TARIFFS -- Congressional Republicans in public and private are trying to persuade President Donald Trump to back off his pledge to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports. "Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has personally spoken with the president and tried to warn him of the economic dangers of entering a trade war as well as the political backlash that could crush Republicans in the mid-terms elections," Rachael, Burgess and Doug Palmer report. "And Republicans across the spectrum have been sending Trump an urgent message: slow down."

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) has visited the White House twice in the past week. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) warned that tariffs could jeopardize the economy, while No. 3. Senate Republican John Thune (R-S.D.) acknowledged the president will "get a lot of resistance on this" because "it's a big deal." "So desperate are Republicans to stop the president that they're even considering whether they could tie his hands legislatively -- though that seems unlikely," the trio writes. Potential options include a rewrite of the 1962 law underpinning U.S. trade policy and blocking a three-year renewal of the president's trade promotion authority later
this year.

"Party leaders already see a rocky path to maintaining their House and Senate majorities in this fall's mid-term elections," they continue. Republicans are hoping to run on the success of their tax cuts, which tariffs could jeopardize. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who plans to send a letter to the president this week and talk to him personally, said Republicans' preference is to change the president's mind to avoid a major clash between Congress and the White House. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde2367e4a7c87f5099a168a7a5963b2dca23230860a66720d414e59a48fb6fa2d85390e287cea8c0491d

TRUMP NOT BACKING DOWN -- Despite a chorus of criticism from congressional Republicans, Trump told reporters he won't back down on tariffs. "But the White House was devising ways to potentially soften the impact of the measures on major trading partners," The New York Times reports. "The intense maneuvering ... is likely to delay any formal rollout of the measures until next week, according to several officials who have been briefed on the deliberations." Though House Speaker Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) spokeswoman said they are "extremely worried about the consequences of a trade war and are urging the White House to not advance with this plan," Trump seemed largely unfazed.

The stock market rebounded Monday, reassuring the president that he's right to impose tariffs. "We're not backing down," he said at the White House. Trump did, however, "open the door to a compromise, at least with Canada and Mexico, which are in negotiations with the United States to revise the North American Free Trade Agreement," The Times writes. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23966f4ced8cddcf363bf276c73706389678ac3c565d353300d0d45a7b1fb1b086ebf25267868c360c

Related: "Frustrated White House free traders mount campaign to weaken Trump tariffs," by Andrew Restuccia, Ben White and Nancy Cook: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23d4557fe0281d053fc92c50ee0d443a92ba543e6fbdcdf90b0861f296008dcb79b0fb1d3e13ea9022 and "Prospects dim for Trump NAFTA victory before midterms," from Megan Cassella and Doug Palmer: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde2300b3fdce66d98f439afcbff36846ac83ce97335db2ee4c55f406dbb9939e24bacf0dadef58e9687a

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING! Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this March 6.

MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Vox's report that some unpaid congressional interns sign nondisclosure agreements was the winner.

HOUSE OF RESIDENCES? -- Thirty members of the Congressional Black Caucus are calling for an ethics investigation into the practice of members sleeping overnight in their offices. In a letter obtained by POLITICO, CBC members wrote to the leaders of the House Ethics Committee in December asking for a probe into the "legality and propriety" of such conduct by members of Congress. "There's something unsanitary about bringing people to your office who are talking about public policy where you spent the night, and that's unhealthy, unsanitary -- and some people would say it's almost nasty," Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) told me.

The letter alleges that such members receive free lodging, cable, cleaning services and utilities, which Democratic critics say is a violation of both House ethics rule and federal law. They asked for a response from the committee by Jan. 5 but say they've heard nothing back. They contend that members who sleep in their offices should be taxed at the rate of a Capitol Hill apartment, or that members should get a per diem or cost-of-living salary increase to help with costs. Lawmakers who stay in their offices, however, reject the criticism. They say the practice allows them to work harder for their constituents while illustrating their aversion to the Washington swamp. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23561bedb31dbfc91b69ddeba1cfb448be57278edc7042b6bd97e3b3c3ace70f7da21b616c269dfcbf read the letter: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23c746b39162408236694fd74c5d4e69d728d61a537a957a3cc7d872fa17fee3149fb64a48291aa48f

MCCARTHY COULD SUCCEED RYAN NEXT YEAR -- If Republicans lose the House in November, Republicans can see Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as minority leader. The post would require a majority vote of the GOP conference. "And that threshold is within reach for someone considered President Trump's closest ally on the Hill, who regularly travels the country raising cash for his colleagues, several GOP lawmakers said," The Hill's Scott Wong reports. Many Republicans expect House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to retire if the GOP loses its majority. In that scenario, other potential challengers include Reps. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Mark Walker (R-N.C.) and Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.). More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde234162038d6f8a9a207d48dfa8b5ddfadec4989293a6f7a191e4a12842279dbf7a80e5f92685dee356

SCHIFF WANTS NEWS-MAKING NUNBERG TO TESTIFY -- Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said the panel should interview former Trump aide Sam Nunberg. "The congressman called on Nunberg to testify following his declaration in numerous television interviews Monday that he would refuse to comply with a subpoena from special counsel Robert Mueller," CNN's Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb report. "But Rep. Mike Conaway, the Texas Republican leading the committee's Russia probe, seemed to throw cold water on the idea that the committee should speak to Nunberg, who was an early adviser to Trump's campaign before he was fired in August 2015." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde233dfacd7be6e11fa4995d6c51d6dbcf91c509a54def86b68c81e94777a717d3b5bfc5425e2a12d451

Related reads: "Former Trump aide Sam Nunberg called before grand jury, says he will refuse to go," via The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey and Philip Rucker: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23f78664c0c93e5993912e7761ace737d4ac24a016b2a2575dfef37deda46a3a5ca9c1a5337483b388 and "Chances of contempt for Bannon fade as House GOP eyes end of Russia probe," by The Washington Post's Karoun Demirjian: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23ed261222289455a094fe5a9ef1a7a1a329191fccaaebbc9f4377e447ebe189f328d248b2ff24e42b

PENCE'S CAMPAIGN WEEK -- Vice President Mike Pence will blitz the country this week in effort to fend off a possible Democratic wave in the 2018 midterms. "Pence will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to campaign for Rep. Andy Barr, who faces a potentially tough reelection fight in 2018, and participate in [an] event on tax cuts," Matthew Nussbaum reports. "On Friday, Pence will travel to Ohio for another America First Policies event on taxes in Cleveland and campaign for Rep. Steve Stivers." A White House aide said by the end of April, Pence -- a popular speaker and gifted fundraiser -- will have held more than 30 campaign events this year. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23ca3896c4a4788bb90be8d3b617261ed394f4e36cfefac1819e647e73c275565b108203dacf2eebf3

NO JOKE: COCHRAN RESIGNING APRIL 1 -- Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) will resign from the Senate next month, triggering a second Senate election in November and reshaping the leadership of one of Congress' most powerful panels. "I regret my health has become an ongoing challenge," he said in a statement. "Mississippi GOP Gov. Phil Bryant will select Cochran's replacement, who will hold the seat until the special election," Burgess, Bres and Kevin Robillard report. With Bryant unlikely to appoint himself, Republicans "are fretting about how to keep conservative state Sen. Chris McDaniel, a former Cochran challenger, out of the Senate."

McDaniel is currently challenging Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), whose term is up this year. He could, however, switch and run for Cochran's seat. "The state has a so-called jungle primary system, with no party identification listed on the ballot," they write. "If no candidate tops 50 percent margin, a runoff will be held." Cochran's departure will follow the expected passage of an omnibus spending bill later this month. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) said he will seek Cochran's chairmanship, a post GOP aides said he is likely to get. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23a63aa5a45514d0cf6ddc7d48d01467f4c426692eda5457db0e7e1c1ef2805436a5200d6c354930c6

GARDNER'S BALANCING ACT -- Cory Gardner's role as NRSC chairman would have been much easier with a President Hillary Clinton. "Instead, the centrist-minded Coloradan has found himself in one of the toughest predicaments in town: leading the Republican battalion in what's instead shaping up as an anti-Trump Democratic wave election, while at the same time trying to cut legislative deals with some of the senators he's campaigning hardest to defeat," Burgess reports. "Gardner is going to need bipartisan accomplishments to survive his own swing-state reelection race in 2020."

"As NRSC chairman, he has one of the most partisan jobs in Washington, yet is working overtime to cut a bipartisan mold," he continues. During last month's immigration debate, Gardner voted for a bipartisan bill written by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). "Am I the only Republican?" he asked his colleagues during the roll call on a bill to shield undocumented immigrants from deportation. Three Republicans quickly rushed over to support him. "Campaigns shouldn't interfere with the ability to work with each other," Gardner said. "But that doesn't mean when it comes to actual Election Day, that I'm not going to do everything I can to say that this [Republican] would do a better job." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde234c76820df6174af16c67c9323e29e8e708400729ad3d603c8a4ec32f69b537dfd2ef3ba1cd649c33

TEXAS KICKS OFF CROWDED DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY -- A record number of Democrats are running for Congress this year, "[e]mboldened by widespread anger with President Trump and wins in gubernatorial and Senate races last year," The Washington Post's David Weigel and Sean Sullivan report. "While this cascade of candidates reflects the high level of enthusiasm in the party out of power, it has deepened divisions, stoked fresh rivalries and prompted meddling by Democratic officials that has fueled controversy." Such developments have raised questions about whether the party is prepared for the next stage of the campaign while hindering Democrats' efforts to retake the House. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23fbb94b6c0a8abdfd3d13457f9ab668a8920294bb357877a025e3cbb6e7278aee041da39872ed0f12

Related: "5 things to watch in the first primary of 2018," from Steven Shepard and Elena Schneider: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23bc4bad35f217ecc847912cd3215297bc1e5c70da01a376de2a61d992a7ed8ad2d941729d6bb733f8

SENATE PRESS SECRETARIES ASSOCIATION 2018-19 E-BOARD: President: Megan Whittemore (Perdue) and board members: Ashton Davies (Alexander), Rob Sumner (Crapo), Shannon Beckham (Bennet), Christine Brennan (EPW/Carper), Tyler Hernandez (Capito), Meredith Jones (Kennedy) and Vanessa Valdivia (Heinrich).

LGBT CONGRESSIONAL STAFF ASSOCIATION E-BOARD: President: Robert Edmonson (Pelosi) and board members: Chris Cunningham (Esty), Pablo A. Sierra-Carmona (Sánchez), Jayson Schimmenti (MacArthur), Hector Colón (Crowley), Sarah Jackson (Pelosi), Matthew Ramirez (Pelosi) and Chris Horta (House Democratic Caucus).

TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House gavels in at 10 a.m. with first and last votes expected between 3:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e9a5349ad05cde23cd95b2b7ee204c8665b1bac1fb34b4a1739642d4eb4e37350d6027b750c1f794d32efd29101f9023 The Senate meets at 10 a.m. to resume consideration of a banking bill. The chamber will hold a procedural vote at 11 a.m., followed by a confirmation vote on judicial nominee Terry Doughty, then recess from 12:30 p.m. until 2:15 p.m. for the weekly caucus meetings.

AROUND THE HILL -- Sen. Lamar Alexander and Reps. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) will each participate in a discussion during a conference on how to deliver on equitable educational opportunities and outcomes for all students at 8:30 a.m., 8:45 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., respectively, in 325 Russell.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) will hold a news conference on banking deregulation legislation at 9:30 a.m. in S-325.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will hold a media availability immediately after the Republican Conference meeting at 10 a.m. in HC-8.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) will hold his weekly pen and pad briefing at 11 a.m. in H-144.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and others will hold a conference call briefing to discuss how big banks have been offshoring American jobs, how the Republican tax law could impact the trend and steps that could be taken to slow and reverse it beginning at 12 p.m. The call-in number is 866-342-8591, and the password is "offshoring."

Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Joaquín Castro (D-Texas) and Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) will hold a media availability on election security at 1:30 p.m. in HVC-Studio B.

Senate Republican and Democratic leaders will hold separate press conferences after their weekly policy lunches starting around 2 p.m. in the Ohio Clock Corridor.

Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) will hold a roundtable with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on issues concerning Jerusalem and the U.S.-Israel relationship at 2 p.m. in 2247 Rayburn.

Reps. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.) and Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) and others will hold a briefing on building climate resilience in the real estate sector at 3:30 p.m. in HVC-201.

Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Don Beyer (D-Va.) will hold an event with eight women's political organizations that are launching a nonpartisan coalition to elect more women at 6 p.m. in the CVC Atrium.

MONDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- Grace Bellone was first to correctly guess that Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) was one of three Republicans who voted to pass Dodd-Frank in July 2010 and the only one still serving in the Senate.

TODAY'S TRIVIA -- From Grace: Which former Louisiana congressman later ran for governor in 1984 and famously hosted a fundraiser at Versailles, which was attended by 618 of his supporters who paid $10,000 a head to fly to Paris with him? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: nmccaskill@politico.com.

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