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10/13/2017 07:58 AM EDT


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

TRUMP TO SCRAP CRITICAL OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES - President Donald Trump plans to scrap federal subsidies to insurance companies that reduce health care costs for low-income enrollees, a move that could send the insurance market into a spiral sans congressional intervention. Trump's plan, first scooped by our Josh Dawsey last night, will up the pressure on Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who were already trying to reach a bipartisan agreement to stabilize Obamacare markets. The decision leaked out just hours after Trump signed a separate executive order also aimed at undermining Obamacare.

Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi criticized the move, calling it "pointless sabotage" in a statement late Thursday night. Several Republicans, including Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), praised Trump's action, saying it was further validation of a lawsuit House Republicans won against the Obama administration on this issue. But many Republicans are privately wary of what suddenly yanking the payments could do to insurance premiums more broadly and even failed Obamacare repeal bills in the House and Senate included near-term funding for the program.

So what's next? Open enrollment begins in two weeks. Many insurers have already raised costs for next year's plans after months of threats from Trump about pulling the cost-sharing reduction (CSR) payments. But the latest action could lead to a double-digit spike in insurance premiums, the AP reports, unless Congress intervenes. Some insurers and state attorneys general like California AG Xavier Becerra are likely to sue the Trump administration over the issue. Insurers also will have the option to pull out of the markets when the payments end, Dawsey and Paul Demko report. Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc824c47e4fa0e36f0749f0b22e65adcd9283bbac7c025a1877f43b12f5a71fe3b367cc7174226fcb05a27aa984e57850103

WILL SHE STAY OR WILL SHE GO? Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) will announce today whether she will stay in the Senate or opt to run for governor next year, a decision that remained shrouded in secrecy even hours before. Collins will make the announcement during a speech at a local Chamber of Commerce event slated to begin at 8 a.m. "Her Senate colleagues, particularly fellow moderates, have been urging Collins to stay, and senior Republicans said this week that they were completely in the dark about what Collins will do," Seung Min and Burgess report. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc82a57b2445be0a9f2c4f9fb9d8e5a1c077dd3f65a20b1e08415568c0a132ab06d6b98f6399e80c74fbf9a6e5f8fdbf52e5

Burgess' parents actually ran into Collins in Maine last night (he's a lifelong Mainer, guys) but she wouldn't say anything about her decision because he would "scoop it."

CONCERNS MOUNT OVER COCHRAN'S HEALTH - Sen. Thad Cochran's absence is being felt around the Capitol, with Republicans worried as the Mississippi senator continues to remain at home, recovering from a urological issue. Cochran's office maintains he'll return next week but several sources said his staff and allies have only received limited information about his current health and it's unlikely he'll be back on Monday, Anna and Burgess report. As Senate Appropriations chairman, Cochran plays a pivotal role in government funding, a job that only gets more important as Congress closes in on the December deadline to keep federal dollars flowing. And he's part of the GOP's slim 52-seat majority,
meaning his absence has huge ramifications for Republican efforts to pass a budget and tax reform. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc828f78eeca1bcfac6419e87cd96606fadc3c58f1b922148df495dbcf6acba8135192dbcbc49ce41b5848ae890aee03e7be

TRUMP ANNOUNCES IRAN DEAL DECISION TODAY - Trump will disavow the Iran nuclear deal in a speech later today but will stop short of completely unraveling the Obama-era agreement, the New York Times reports. In his speech, slated for 12:45 p.m., Trump will decertify Iran's compliance, essentially kicking the decision over to Congress about what to do next. "But the Trump administration made it clear that it wants to leave the 2015 accord intact, at least for now," Mark Landler and David Sanger report. "Instead, it is asking Congress to establish 'trigger points,' which could prompt the United States to reimpose sanctions on Iran if it crosses thresholds set by Congress." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc8205eac7e005e8e3b748aa35f7675f035cfc23982d0e1759b9b12f9b83236710583d6dfa5898172eb2521478979176939e

Related: Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) are partnering together on a bill that would propose tougher consequences for the Iran nuclear deal, Elana reports this morning. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc82fd4499b9f4325207768e600b02d35f0f94bcd8ccf5b7d422e76e06f8c032bdaf588a96fbfa95a515310748044028e1fd

IT'S FRIDAY THE 13TH Y'ALL. Thanks for tuning in to POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. The Nats lost last night in a stomach-churning game all too familiar to any D.C. sports fan, ending their season on a disappointing note once again.

THURSDAY'S MOST CLICKED: It was a close one yesterday but Scott Wong's video of Rep. Steve Scalise blasting the LSU fight song from his motorized scooter was the winner.

Greening the Food Supply: Carrots and Sticks that Work - On U.N. World Food Day, join POLITICO for a high-level conversation on the global outlook of our future food supply. We will explore success stories in sustainable agriculture as well as the complex challenges that remain to reaching a sustainable food supply worldwide. Monday, October 16 - 11:30 a.m. --Eastern Market North Hall, 225 7th St. SE. RSVP: here.

ETHICS COMMITTEE EXTENDS COLLINS PROBE - The House Ethics Committee on Thursday extended its probe into New York GOP Rep. Chris Collins' dealings with an Australian biotech company but has not moved ahead with a full-scale investigation, Bres and Kyle report. The Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent watchdog, had unanimously recommended that the Ethics panel launch a full probe after finding "substantial reason to believe" Collins violated House rules and federal law by relying on inside information in stock trades and using his office to benefit the company, Innate Immunotherapeutics Limited. Collins, who has repeatedly denied improper behavior, is on Innate's board and is its
biggest stockholder, investing at least $6 million in the firm. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc822f66f2ac44e8ce106a8153964e818a20798dd5e64bfa98115ac1145af50e57fcb5e60e1720b9f2b57842e4c20a1340b3

IS THE DREAMER DEADLINE FLUID? The March 5 deadline Trump established to end the DACA program may not be as set in stone as it appears. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said Trump told him he was willing to "give it some more time" if lawmakers can't find a solution to protect Dreamers from deportation by the March deadline, the Washington Post's Elise Viebeck reports from Tulsa. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc82615e812f318497997298be56e25dba8bc9a1b60c673f6cef7a9539c52c1c2c27fcd8b71b64fed1fa5b95de369375e645

LET'S TALK A LITTLE TAX - House Republicans are moving closer to a deal to keep at least part of the state and local tax deduction, a key point of contention in current tax reform talks. "Legislators from high-tax states and districts are loath to let the century-old deduction - targeted for elimination by Hill GOP leaders and the White House - slip away," Aaron Lorenzo reports. "Recent discussions have involved capping the deduction on those with incomes somewhere between $200,000 to $400,000, meaning taxpayers earning less than that could still capture the benefit." House GOP leaders huddled with several Republicans who wanted to air their concerns about eliminating the deduction on
Thursday. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc8232d5f767bc60025c526eea801e45cfc971ddbc4b1f9f9c63394a5b53ec2ade91892a8e3232b5bf1f2b03a5b2bcca7ac1

FEINSTEIN'S FIRST PRIMARY CHALLENGER - California Senate leader Kevin de León plans to challenge Sen. Dianne Feinstein next year, CNN reports. "de León has begun calling labor leaders and elected officials to inform them of his plans ... The 50-year-old de León, who represents Los Angeles and is seen as a leading Latino voice in Democratic politics, is likely to campaign aggressively against President Donald Trump. He began signaling he could oppose Feinstein in late August, after she said Trump could 'be a good president' and that he 'can learn and change.'" Eric Bradner and Gregory Krieg with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc82e4d4b7fc476054db7b462c7e8a34713432a4d2dbcd314e6fd7b16d790cc54b9f7b4f7ba8278668da79f40e4802f3bb5c

CBC HITS FACEBOOK OVER DIVERSITY - The Congressional Black Caucus used its time with Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg Thursday to criticize the company for its lily-white board and amplification of Russian ads aimed at stoking racial tensions during last year's election. Sandberg committed to adding a black member to Facebook's board of directors, a good start the CBC said, but a move that comes at least two years after lawmakers first raised the issue. Lawmakers pressed Sandberg on whether she thought the Russian-bought ads aided Trump's victory but Facebook's chief operating officer wouldn't go that far, saying she's still waiting for data. Elana and your Huddle host with more:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=846461f88534dc821843aa6530d39b56572177ababaebc5594843351e2bd9d05b7fc4ba1e0b00bf255562b782493e72ddc2ff62bc8b2532c

Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), co-chairs of the CBC's diversity task force, will lead a group of members to California on Monday for meetings with tech companies about their ongoing diversity issues.

DEPARTURE LOUNGE - Jennifer Brown is leaving her job as chief of staff for the House Science Committee for a new gig overseeing federal affairs for Texas Tech. Brown worked for House Science Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) for nearly 30 years, both in his personal office and on the committee. She will remain in D.C. Mark Marin, the committee's current deputy chief of staff, is being promoted to the top spot.

TODAY IN CONGRESS -The Senate is out until Monday, Oct. 16. The House is out until Oct. 23.

OFF THE HILL - Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) will hold a press conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico at 2:25 p.m. Livestream: speaker.gov/live.

THURSDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Bill Sutey was first to guess that President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural desk is located in the Capitol, specifically in the visitor's center.

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Angered over a president's nominee, both senators from this state resigned, thinking they'd quickly be reelected to the upper chamber with more leverage over the White House and its agenda. That didn't happen, ending the political career of one of the senators while the other was reelected years later. Name the two senators and the president who caused them to resign. 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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