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09/16/2015 07:50AM EDT


By Lauren French (lfrench@politico.com & @laurennfrench)

McConnell employs Shame strategy on Iran. Seung Min Kim and Burgess Everett report, "Mitch McConnell likes to say there's no education in the second kick of a mule. But apparently that rule doesn't apply to Senate Democrats. For the second time in less than a week Tuesday, the Senate blocked an attempt by the majority leader to push a measure to scuttle the Iran nuclear deal through the chamber. The try-and-try-again strategy - amounting to a repeated public shaming - has become something of a go-to move for McConnell. ..McConnell further raised the stakes minutes ahead of the vote by threatening to force Democrats to vote on proposals that would require Iran recognize Israel as a state and
release Americans held in Iran. So now Democrats must brace for even more votes on Iran, likely on Thursday." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=a2f0149a9c997e4f5153528e32be305bbd89ddd375f43bc7c73384947beff145

Obama to weigh in on shutdown. David Herszenhorn and Julie Hirschfeld Davis report for the New York Times, "Congress hurtled toward a government shutdown on Tuesday, with Republicans threatening to block a budget deal if it includes financing for Planned Parenthood, as President Obama prepared to join the fight by pushing Republicans to scrap a multibillion-dollar tax advantage for private equity managers. In a speech on Wednesday, Mr. Obama is expected to call on Republicans to end the tax break and use the funds to pay for spending increases on domestic and national security programs, and he will enlist business leaders to help him make his case... Mr. Obama will seek to shame Republicans
who control Congress for failing to strike a deal with Democrats to fund the government's operations, using the so-called carried-interest provision as an example of what he argues are misplaced priorities, according to White House officials." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a59ec6ab76b2989f011184712cfb7937b53471c0dc97583d02db904bb3f6f58

Just try not to embarrass us all. The Washington Post's Al Kamen reports, "The possibility of Congress truly, massively embarrassing itself (is that possible?) and the entire country during Pope Francis's historic address next week is starting to give some members the willies. After all, we're not talking about the president or some random foreign leader. This is His Holiness Pope Francis. it would be most unseemly if members who go at dawn to snag primo seats on the aisle were to try to shake his hand or clap him on the back or, God forbid, hug him. (Maybe he should use a different entrance?) It goes without saying no one will be boorish enough to say "you lie" if His Holiness mentions the
environment or global warming - or if he reiterates doctrine on contraception. But even the tradition of bipartisan, goofy, wild cheering, clapping or of standing O's - or sitting boos - could be seen by many as way out of line." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a59ec6ab76b29895340f87a1eab9001706539959460d47870906576a03af388

It's Wednesday, September 16, 2015 and welcome to the Huddle. Everyone have plans for watching the GOP debate tonight? Ten points to whomever comes up with the best drinking game. You can reach me at lfrench@politico.com or find me on Twitter at @laurennfrench if you have any good tips or gossip to share.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House returns into session this afternoon with votes scheduled for 6:30 p.m. There are no votes scheduled in the Senate.

AROUND THE HILL - A bipartisan group of lawmakers will join Jon Stewart at 10 a.m. to show support for legislation extending benefits to 9/11 first responders. - Democratic Reps. Xavier Becerra, Barbara Lee and Jan Schakowsky will discuss women's health and Planned Parenthood at 10:30 a.m. in HVC Studio B. -- The Center for American Progress will host New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and White House Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz at 11 a.m. for a discussion on funding for national service programs.

Minority Whip Steny Hoyer will hold his weekly pen & pad with reporters at 11 a.m. - Democratic Reps. Chris Van Hollen and Nita Lowey will host a conference call at 1:45 p.m. to discuss the budget proposal released yesterday from the Republican Study Committee.

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Senate comes together on shutdown. Seung Min Kim reports, "Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid backed a short-term measure to fund the federal government Tuesday, putting the chamber's two leaders on the same page as Congress veers toward a potential government shutdown at the end of the month. The must-pass measure has gotten tangled up in the controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood, with conservative lawmakers pressuring Republican leaders to cut off federal funding for the women's health group." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a59ec6ab76b2989d1832f083ee2099964fa0aa4046d64e33e40b3c25cf4cf33

Shaheen invites European ambassadors FOR refugee debate. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen will host ambassadors and senior embassy officials from seven countries and the European Union today to discuss what Congress can do to help European nations who have seen an influx of refugees in recent weeks from Syria. The guests include, Ambassador of the European Union to the U.S. David O'Sullivan, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria Hans Peter Manz, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Peter Wittig, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic Christos Panagopoulos, Deputy Chief of Mission for the Embassy of the Italian Republic Luca Franchetti Pardo, Deputy Chief of Mission for the Embassy of France
Nathalie Estival-Broadhurst and Middle East Counselor for the Embassy of the United Kingdom Bridget Bind.

"The scale of the European migration and refugee crisis requires a coordinated strategy among EU nations and greater cooperation between the EU and the United States," Shaheen told Huddle.

Congress does some weird stuff but they're drawing the line at a presidential photo-op. Ben Schreckinger reports, "Donald Trump's claim that the government plans to spend millions of dollars to remove scaffolding from the Capitol Dome for the 2017 presidential inauguration only to put it back up again is just plain false, according to the ranking member of the House Administration Committee.... At a Monday night rally in Dallas, Trump cited this made-up plan as an example of government waste and incompetence. 'They're going to take all the scaffolding down, pay millions of dollars to do it and then after the (presidential) inauguration they're going to put it back up again,' he said."
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a59ec6ab76b29892c328392250b8eea3c9244fa094f97faf889d5f427c44c3f

Bordallo chief of staff on leave after facing 'sexual contact' charges. Janela Carrera writes for the Pacific News Center, "Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo says her chief of staff of 13 years has agreed to go on administrative leave in light of his arrest dating back to April of this year. Although the congresswoman revealed the arrest in an emailed statement, she did not disclose the charges, only saying that they were misdemeanor charges...this is not the first time Whitt has been accused of sexual crimes....The Baltimore Sun reported on this case in 1996, saying that based on court records, Whitt was accused of fondling three different men. The victims in that case were midshipmen in
the Naval Academy. Whitt was hosting the midshipmen at his apartment in Annapolis, Maryland." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a59ec6ab76b2989f6e1740706ec581cc109c018e56f6df41d9661e57dabcb4b

Menendez trial could be delayed. Bresnahan has the insight, "Attorneys for Sen. Robert Menendez and his co-defendant are asking a federal judge to delay the start of the bribery and corruption trial for the New Jersey Democrat, signaling the proceedings could be postponed until next year. Federal prosecutors are not objecting to the defense request, making it all but certain that the scheduled Oct. 13 trial date - already considered wildly optimistic by those close to the case- is going to be missed. Menendez, who was first elected to Congress in 1992 and became a senator in 2006, was indicted in April for allegedly accepting close to $1 million worth of gifts and campaign contributions
from Salomon Melgen in exchange for using his Senate office to aid the Florida ophthalmologist." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=8a59ec6ab76b2989557ca8600d217ec129fe561fdba53be0a70cf4ee3a495ca7

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Megan Ekstrom, the director of government affairs at the International Fragrance Association, was the first to email in saying that Sarah Polk the longest widowed first lady at 42 years.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - To get us into the spirit for the pope's arrival next week, here is a papal-themed question from yours truly. The modern conclave to elect the pope began to take form in 1268 when the cardinals were unable to reach an agreement. Finally, the people of Italy locked them in a room with only water and bread. How long did it take for the cardinals to finally elect a pope and who was it? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. E-mail lfrench@politico.com

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