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01/06/2016 08:26 AM EDT


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

NORTH KOREA CLAIMS H-BOMB TEST - Breaking overnight, from the New York Times: "North Korea declared on Tuesday that it had detonated its first hydrogen bomb. The assertion, if true, would dramatically escalate the nuclear challenge from one of the world's most isolated and dangerous states. In an announcement, North Korea said that the test had been a 'complete success.' But it was difficult to tell whether the statement was true. North Korea has made repeated claims about its nuclear capabilities that outside analysts have greeted with skepticism."

--"The North's announcement came about an hour after detection devices around the world had picked up a 5.1 seismic event along the country's northeast coast. It may be weeks or longer before detectors sent aloft by the United States and other powers can determine what kind of test was conducted." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=9cfdcaea84b092ab97ea526e41bc00c93544211c3970c0c2dc422aa6a61bff72

--Per AP: "The White House says it can't confirm a North Korean nuclear test, but said the U.S. would condemn any violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc10d4a32e72ecf5b79cbaecf88d3bcaa39115188b037887dee

--Republicans quickly jumped on North Korea's claims. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), running for the GOP presidential nomination, said late Tuesday: "I have been warning throughout this campaign that North Korea is run by a lunatic who has been expanding his nuclear arsenal while President Obama has stood idly by. If this test is confirmed, it will be just the latest example of the failed Obama-Clinton foreign policy."

--And Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), who chairs a Senate subcommittee overseeing East Asia, said he was monitoring the situation, and added: "Events like this are a symptom of a failed foreign policy. The Obama Administration's stance on Russia, Syria, and especially Iran have sent a clear message to dictators and despots around the world: if you act badly enough, for long enough, this Administration will reward your behavior."

GOP RUSHES FOR GUN RESPONSE - The Hill's Scott Wong and Cristina Marcos: "Congressional Republicans are scrambling for a way to halt President Obama's new unilateral actions on gun control. One powerful appropriator, Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), has threatened to block federal funding for the Department of Justice unless the president's actions are reversed. But last year's trillion-dollar spending deal already funds the department through September, limiting the GOP's leverage."

--"The courts are another option. GOP lawmakers are expected to sue to stop Obama's gun control proposals from taking effect ... Republicans could force a showdown with Democrats sooner by trying to attach a provision rolling back the gun actions to important legislation ... Several House Republicans are expected to introduce legislation to combat the executive actions in the coming days, though Obama certainly would veto such bills." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc1d0f534b09b4bd64ebcf118f1d84517783e5b1d87d7f442d0

@JohnCornyn: Do POTUS's tears flow from frustration with his inability to build consensus on mental health and violence solutions? We can show him a way.

--Burgess Everett writes for POLITICO on how Obama's gun actions are putting moderates in a squeeze: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc1058197757309778ae59d31333738ce2043d83bd18a8e2c7f And the BBC breaks down what Obama's executive actions actually do: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc1e87d45d6270cac31834a5e58d200e6ee9cc61d249c69c856

--And a sneak peek: Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) will roll out legislation later today that would boost funding for mental health and behavioral health services nationwide.

STEVE ISRAEL CALLS IT QUITS - Newsday of Long Island, N.Y. has the scoop: "Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) won't seek re-election to a ninth term in November in order to spend more time writing his second book ... The Democrat, who has held the seat since 2000, said in a statement, 'It is time for me to pursue new passions and develop new interests, mainly spend more time writing my second novel.' He said he is 'looking forward to spending more time home and frequenting my beloved New York diners. Simply put, it's time to pass on the torch.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc1f0da4119e02ea0027318488042168e1850d8c36826d2e3d4

--In an interview with NYT's Carl Hulse, Israel also added relentless fundraising as another reason he chose to retire: "I don't think I can spend another day in another call room making another call begging for money ... I always knew the system was dysfunctional. Now it is beyond broken." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc17ded61463f408913968e29f905759082ebe1fb10cf1025bb

--Israel's first book, "The Global War on Morris," currently ranks 85,000th on Amazon's bestseller list.

TRANSITIONS - Dale Neugebauer, who served as chief of staff to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) for 15 years, has retired from federal service. "It's been a great privilege and I've been fortunate to work with extraordinary people," he says. Veronica Wong is Issa's new chief.

IT'S WEDNESDAY, Jan. 06, 2016 and you're reading The Huddle, where I'm taking over Huddle for the rest of this week from Rachael Bade, just because I love you Huddle readers so much. As always, I'm at skim@politico.com or on Twitter at @seungminkim.

My new followers include @JamesPindell and @Grei_sa.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House is in at 10 a.m., with votes expected around 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. and then again from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Lawmakers will pass the Senate's version of the Obamacare reconciliation bill (read the CNN preview of the vote here: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc1cab2a41d4899d2e3b128ae3e381aad7eaf4680f37e928cbb and they'll also take up the SCRUB Act. The Senate is still snoozing.

AROUND THE HILL - Speaker Paul Ryan and House Republican leaders will hold a news avail after their conference meeting at 10 a.m. in HC-8. House Dem Caucus Chair Xavier Becerra and Reps. Joe Crowley, Mike Thompson, Kathy Castor, Mark Pocan and Pete Aguilar will hold a post-caucus presser on gun control at 10 a.m. in HVC-210 alcove.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Reps. Chris Van Hollen, Jan Schakowsky, Jerrold Nadler, Diana DeGette, Suzan DelBene and Bonnie Watson Coleman will hold a news conference responding to the GOP Obamacare bill at 11:30 a.m. in HVC Studio A. Reps. Tim Huelskamp, Jim Jordan and Raul Labrador will host their monthly Conversations with Conservatives at noon in 2237 Rayburn.

OBAMA RAIDS TRIGGER DEM BACKLASH - The intraparty split over the Obama administration's immigrant raids spilled into full view this week, as I write this morning for POLITICO: "Democrats and immigrant-rights groups have turned against the Obama administration in an uproar over recent deportation raids, likening the president to bombastic GOP front-runner Donald Trump and warning him that the controversial strategy will tarnish his legacy on immigration."

--"Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) urged the administration to halt the raids, calling them a 'cruel reminder of a discredited policy.' The Congressional Hispanic Caucus will discuss the raids at its weekly meeting Thursday. And advocates, who held a strategy call Tuesday, want a meeting with Johnson and are demanding more information, including whether the immigrants targeted in the raid have lawyers. Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the sole Latino Democrat in the Senate, criticized the administration's 'harsh tactics' in a statement to POLITICO." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc1ae63e5b72f56f3c0c1052eb83102ebbec39056264ab09ec8

HALEY TO DELIVER GOP REBUTTAL - The State of Columbia, S.C.: "S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley, coming off a year where she gained national attention for her handling of the Charleston church slayings, will deliver the Republican response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address on Jan. 12. Haley is calling her nationally televised speech from Columbia an 'address' rather than a 'response,' as the political counterpoints have been called since they began in 1966. Haley is the first South Carolinian to deliver the State of the Union response." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc1b4f34ec398d10f9dbb11c051c01c1aeb732ab4915e74ce27

CONGRESS LIFTS FUNDING BAN FOR NEEDLE EXCHANGES - From Buzzfeed's John Stanton: "In the waning days of 2015, congressional Republicans agreed to essentially end their decades-long opposition to federally funding state and local needle exchange programs, slipping a repeal of the ban into the end of the year omnibus spending measure with virtually no fanfare."

--"The decision - purportedly spearheaded by House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers and backed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, both from Kentucky, as well as West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, who is on the Appropriations Committee - came in response to a massive HIV/AIDS outbreak in Indiana, as well as their home state's decision to implement its own exchange to combat growing heroin use. Rogers and Capito spokespeople did not return requests for comment, but a McConnell aide acknowledged that Rogers pushed for it and that McConnell ensured the language got in the bill." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc1447fb5e07ebc73e174e990596d159b785bb75b4408e24a2d

IMPORTANT PAUL RYAN BEARD UPDATE - From the AP: "For House Speaker Paul Ryan, it's bye-bye beard. The Wisconsin Republican has been sporting a 'hunting beard' since Thanksgiving, but he appeared clean shaven on Tuesday as the House returned to business ... One of the last two speakers to sport a beard was Joe Cannon of Illinois. The Republican led the House from 1903-11. Another bearded Republican, Frederick Gillett of Massachusetts, led the House from 1919-25." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc12793e60dc20b770b21424991ad5708c7f4e3a89615d91c16

--Ryan also chats with Roll Call's Alex Gangitano for the paper's Take Five feature, where the speaker says of what he missed about Washington while home over the break: "Not a lot." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=b1ccb86f0a06afc12e1efdf3f618aef18a12fc08c0e1aa144f030b2d1ab8413d

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - No one got it, so I'm asking it again.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - The Teapot Dome scandal marks the last time Congress detained someone pursuant to an investigation, after the Senate issued an arrest warrant for David Stewart of Standard Oil. Instead of "Congress jail," where was Mr. Stewart held? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next day's Huddle. E-mail skim@politico.com.

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