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11/03/2017 08:00 AM EDT


By Heather Caygle (hcaygle@politico.com or @heatherscope)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP leaves for Asia this morning, a 12-day excursion that includes stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. Trump's trek, coming as the Russia probe intensifies and the GOP tries to muscle through a tax code rewrite, is the longest trip to Asia by a U.S. president in more than a quarter century, Reuters' Steve Holland reports.

LET'S TALK A LITTLE TAX REFORM - House Republicans largely embraced their tax reform bill on Thursday, much to the relief of GOP leaders. The proposal is facing opposition from some key outside groups and a handful of Republicans from high-tax states who said they couldn't support the changes to the state and local tax deduction in the bill. But by and large, the reception from the House GOP conference was positive. "Guys from different caucuses, from different groups, were all speaking in favor of it," said Republican Study Committee Chairman Mark Walker (R-S.C.). Brian Faler with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=0b07d3ec8ea873da924bf94ec7695b428b6e3188232102585afc844022f36fb07e011eb84fb4bcd1840cf772da2e740e

Does the bill live up to GOP promises to help the middle class? "The House Republican tax bill is a clear windfall for corporate America and a roll of the dice for the middle-class families that President Trump promised would be the centerpiece of his economic agenda," the New York Times reports. Jim Tankersley with the analysis: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97b9b8a6e431836399b5c7808f8b06e9096f69a56b38547a1c64d42f07fa3eac140473feea7c404c6370758b6b72196f

What's next: Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) will release his chairman's mark - the version of the bill that will be considered by the committee - today. Ways and Means will begin marking up the legislation, a process expected to last multiple days, on Monday. GOP leaders hope to get the bill passed on the House floor by Thanksgiving. But as our buddy Jake Sherman pointed out on Twitter, House Republicans are only giving themselves nine legislative days to pass a complete rewrite of the U.S. tax code, something that hasn't been done in more than 30 years!

House bill text: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97b9b8a6e4318363fb98798732fb338136015ec029be004eb86d17d994f01fe0fa6f5af3448cc3662c76f34e05ec0781 and a section-by-section summary: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97b9b8a6e43183634624078634b89f2e3f2134a87361260c5d0ce07b8e9977b47bef579827f51b09eeaa18679af21210

Where there's a House, there's a Senate: With all the tax unity in the House, a storm could be brewing across the Capitol in the Senate, Seung Min reports. "Fiscal hawks are squawking about how tax legislation could balloon the deficit. Moderates like Sen. Susan Collins of Maine are worried tax cuts will disproportionately favor the rich. Even an Obamacare-related row could bubble up and trip up passage." Senate Republicans are expected to unveil their bill next week. Remember, Republicans can only lose two votes in the Senate and still pass a bill, assuming no Democrats support the measure. SMK tells you who to watch in the upcoming fight: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97b9b8a6e4318363e1a5a448bc9949cde6aea1f7aec354b47aa4ad948a9dd830f75481564331d2b642264ba3ff614d07

YOU'RE INVITED: House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady will sit down with Playbook co-authors Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman for his first public event. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for the noon event at the Newseum (555 Pennsylvania, N.W.). Tune in: C-SPAN is carrying the program live. RSVP: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97b9b8a6e431836391af985672318aa912615133960677c715278fc2fd3f9b6a92df27a4253d33573bd69f8aab6b0344

FEMALE LAWMAKERS DETAIL HARASSMENT - Female lawmakers past and present are going on the record to detail harassment they've suffered by fellow colleagues, some of whom are still serving in Congress. "When I was a very new member of Congress in my early 30s, there was a more senior member who outright propositioned me, who was married, and despite trying to laugh it off and brush it aside it, would repeat. And I would avoid that member," Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) told the AP about the lawmaker who remains in Congress. And she's not alone.

"The lawmakers declined to identify the perpetrators by name, but at least two of the men continue to serve in the House. None of the female lawmakers interviewed reported what happened, and some noted it was not clear where they would lodge such a complaint," Erica Werner and Juliet Linderman report. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97b9b8a6e4318363c719def1003a105e08df2020413e08deb614f90a6b5b140c7ae9e1ddc61d00f85febd6032b4c6f3d

WHAT A WEEK, HUH? Welcome to Friday, Nov. 3, and thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend so don't forget to set those clocks back one hour on Sunday y'all! Also Bama plays LSU at home on Saturday night, kickoff at 8 p.m. Roll Tide!

THURSDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Brian Faler and Rachael's story on the GOP's tax plan - "it's go time" - was the big winner yesterday.

COULD A GOVT SHUTDOWN BE COMING? Trump told GOP Senators Thursday he doesn't want to see a legislative fix for Dreamers in a year-end spending bill, upping the chances of a government shutdown. Democrats have eyed the must-pass funding bill as a key opportunity to reach agreement on DACA and Republicans will need Democratic votes. "Republicans can talk to themselves in the mirror all they want, but the fact is the vote is the currency of the realm and Republicans frequently find themselves holding an empty wallet," said Drew Hammill, spokesman for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97b9b8a6e4318363e6a83c107c2e2a34ae1e12c1fb91d9a0c6cd4acdf13f907b0336da2018520e0abcc8af0b39655c60

SESSIONS FACES PRESSURE TO TESTIFY ON RUSSIA - Senate Democrats want to grill Attorney General Jeff Sessions again on what he knew about campaign contacts with Russia, Elana reports. The focus on the AG comes after a plea deal with a former campaign adviser unsealed Monday said Sessions attended a meeting where that adviser, George Papadopoulos, raised the prospect of a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Sessions rejected the idea during the meeting but has previously told the Senate he didn't know of anyone in the campaign who had contact with Russia.

Separately, Carter Page testified before the House Intel Committee on Thursday that he told Sessions "in passing in June 2016 that he planned to travel to Russia for a trip 'completely unrelated' to his volunteer role in the campaign," the New York Times reports. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=19e2de078e8926b0304e39f03d6339c0de69303dac7988c443d426fca1cc7ee37af523d576712a2f62687fb94fd3466a

CLOVIS WITHDRAWS USDA NOMINATION - Former Trump campaign aide Sam Clovis has withdrawn his nomination to be the Department of Agriculture's chief scientist. Clovis had been under criticism for months for his lack of science credentials. And in recent days he also came under intense scrutiny for his role supervising Papadopoulos about his communications with Russia during the campaign. Andrew Restuccia, Josh Dawsey and Helen Bottemiller Evich with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=19e2de078e8926b050074f0ddac9c4a85e2a18ff8f81e4fb0d4086a575b23b69ebfb393230d037526627a5802e7039b0

JURY HEARS CLOSING ARGUMENTS IN MENENDEZ TRIAL - The jury began hearing closing arguments in Sen. Bob Menendez's bribery trial Thursday. The prosecutor and defense attorneys for Menendez's co-defendant, Dr. Salomon Melgen, both gave their closing statements. "They're lying to you," Melgen attorney Kirk Ogrosky told the jury about prosecutors. "They're making up a story and trying to get the evidence to fit their story." Menendez's attorneys offer their closing remarks Monday, which will be followed by a rebuttal from prosecutors. Matt Friedman with the latest from Newark: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=19e2de078e8926b0d3076454090e5a2dcbd6ac0cfb7796f999f5d016e88a2f7adca8457ad79d2673fb28d88bb85827aa

CHC FIGHT GETTING HEATED - GOP Rep. Carlos Curbelo may have derailed his chances of joining the Congressional Hispanic Caucus after a tense meeting with CHC Chairwoman Michelle Lujan Grisham. Curbelo suggested "he's more Hispanic than she is" and invaded her personal space, two CHC members who attended a caucus meeting where Lujan Grisham shared details of her encounter with Curbelo told BuzzFeed.

A Curbelo spokesperson disputed the account, saying he did not invade Lujan Grisham's personal space and "remained seated during the meeting, adding that he only raised his voice after she did." The CHC agreed Thursday to allow Curbelo and retiring GOP Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen to apply to join the group but will still vote on their prospective membership. Lissandra Villa: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=19e2de078e8926b0075c4d024b068119db52113680be32f49c6fcdb542707ca0ededf7ad167393d9c33268b61a3ee3c6


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MORE DNC DRAMA - The Democratic National Committee fired its top fundraiser Thursday, just five months into the job, after months of lagging behind Republicans in ginning up campaign dollars. "The DNC raised $51 million from January through September as it rebuilds under new chairman Tom Perez ...But the Republican National Committee brought in $104 million over the same time period," Gabriel Debenedetti reports. Meanwhile, many Democrats are outraged after former party chairwoman Donna Brazile published a book excerpt on POLITICO detailing the Hillary Clinton campaign's takeover of the DNC long before she had the nomination locked up, the Washington Post reports.

Video du jour: CNN's Jake Tapper to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Thursday: "Do you agree with the notion that [the DNC] was rigged?" Warren: "Yes." Watch: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=19e2de078e8926b0fb4b9845a3e2983580e3602befac60d95efbd80c1e75e276b29124ef3852b25c4fcac2497e59b7fc

LAMAR SMITH ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT - Rep. Lamar Smith, the controversial chairman of the House Science Committee, announced Thursday plans to retire when his term ends in 2018. "The 16-term Texas Republican is one of the longest-serving members of the state's congressional delegation, and has often tussled with academics, scientific organizations and government regulators since become Science chairman in 2013," Darius Dixon reports. Smith will be term-limited out of his chairmanship after this Congress. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=19e2de078e8926b0dfa2a5c78dc8eca3e0befe376589e330da91d0208f06ce601a07545ecd65a86c3de11b3e1b199eaf

ARRIVAL LOUNGE - Amy Surber recently started as legislative director for Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.). A native Hoosier, Surber most recently worked as a legislative assistant for Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.).

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House meets at 9 a.m. with an expected party-line vote on reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at 10:30 a.m. The Senate doesn't like to work on Fridays and will be back at it again Monday.

AROUND THE HILL - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Ways and Means ranking member Richard Neal (D-Mass.) hold a press conference on the GOP tax plan at 11 a.m. in the Rayburn Room (H-207).

Reps. Linda Sánchez, Mike Thompson, and Judy Chu, California Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee, hold a press call on the GOP tax bill at 12 p.m. RSVP: alex.nguyen@mail.house.gov.

THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Scott Schweitzer was first to guess that on Nov. 2, 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. The legislation passed the House in August of that year via a 338-90 vote. Previous efforts to get a federal holiday dedicated to King failed after conservative lawmakers protested the potential costs for overtime and lost work pay, according to the House historian.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Wilson Golden with today's question: What leading Washington institution first occupied the present site of the Rayburn House Office Building? Send your best guess my way: hcaygle@politico.com. The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle.

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