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03/21/2017 07:41 AM EDT


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

With an assist from Kevin Robillard

TRUMP ON THE HILL TODAY - President Donald Trump will be on Capitol Hill this morning to shore up House Republican support ahead of Thursday's make-or-break repeal vote. Later today, he'll huddle with moderates at the White House. House GOP leaders unveiled a package of changes Monday night meant to bring wary Republicans on board, including a special kickback aimed squarely at the New York delegation. But several members of the House Freedom Caucus left a late Monday night meeting bragging they have the votes to tank the bill. Kyle and Rachael preview today: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd7f278894fc59bfd6dc1caf41753bda066ead3ad4bc479a2655dcd0b458ace55fba3a7ed619cc694d0

But in Louisville Monday, Trump was "talking about health care like the vegetables of his agenda - the thing he must begrudgingly finish in order to get to what he really wants: tax cuts, trade deals and infrastructure," Shane Goldmacher reports from Kentucky.

A lil' something for everybody: To woo GOP centrists, the manager's amendment would set aside funding for tax credits for older Americans, who would see their premiums shoot up under the GOP plan. The proposal also includes changes to win over the far-right, including possible work requirements for Medicaid recipients and giving states the option to convert their Medicaid programs into block grants. The amendment would also speed up repeal of the Obamacare taxes. Jen Haberkorn, Rachael and Josh Dawsey: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd7ada98eb47dbfbfe1d053ddcae2e63fb2533ae0b16421d2f97b1e080b78a97af2f94922a05610ab02

The 'Buffalo Buyout': One of the sweeteners in the GOP package includes a change impacting what New York's rural counties pay into the state Medicaid program, a proposal specifically meant to gin up support from nervous New York moderates, reports the Huffington Post's Jonathan Cohn and Matt Fuller. House Democratic Caucus Chair Joe Crowley decried the change in a statement to Huddle, saying the "Empire State kickback" will lead to cuts in health care service and higher property taxes.

"This would almost be shocking if it weren't par for the course," Crowley added. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has already railed against the plan, is expected to meet with the state's delegation today.

THE ROAD TO 216 IS A LONG ONE: GOP Reps. Martha McSally, Tom McClintock, Thomas MacArthur and Robert Aderholt released a joint statement in support of the repeal after the bill's proposed changes were unveiled.

But not everyone is a fan: "They haven't changed the bill's general framework. They don't have the votes to pass it. They have seriously miscalculated," House Freedom Caucus member Justin Amash tweeted Monday night. And conservative senators left a meeting with the White House Monday "terribly" frustrated, Sen. Mike Lee said, according to CNN.

DAY TWO, TUNE IN - Democrats brought out the knives Monday, painting Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch as an enemy to workers and women's rights and repeatedly bringing up Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama's nominee blocked by Republicans. Day one of the four-day session just focused on opening statements, meaning Democrats get their first chance to grill Gorsuch today. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said he plans to have the committee vote on Gorsuch's nomination on April 3, teeing up a floor vote before the Senate starts a two-week recess April 8.

Quote du jour: "For me, this hearing is about the people in this country who are getting screwed every single stinking minute and hour of the day," Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) said. Day two starts at 9:30 a.m. Much more from Seung Min and Josh Gerstein: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd7ffa0597de3a0a02730c42d70d5746a7fd48d6899aa07077fb6a0cb62d20b7677c4e4a770a2f1b630

Morning scoop: Senate Dems feeling the heat - Liberal groups are upping the pressure on Senate Democrats to vote against Gorsuch with a new digital ad campaign launching today, SMK reports exclusively. The People's Defense, a coalition of more than a dozen progressive organizations, is backing the six-figure ad buy. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd7a0f3381a4c482359fd1cd6337e59caafabbfc750a49a287c1e98651c079bafa7007e97420f0d4f4e

WE SURVIVED MONDAY. YAY. Welcome to Tuesday, March 21 and thanks for reading POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill.

MONDAY'S MOST CLICKED: The New Yorker's profile of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer got the most clicks

COMEY CONFIRMS INVESTIGATION, FINALLY - FBI Director James Comey confirmed Monday that the bureau has been investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign, including potential connections between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign, since July. Comey also shot down the White House's wiretapping claims saying he has "no information that supports [Trump's] tweets." Republicans, meanwhile, seemed much more interested in who has been leaking damaging information about the White House, not the substance of the leaks. Austin and Martin Matishak with key moments from the hearing: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd712df3601ed483aaed06a52465ad4de58e270e58db3fd4ea17abe7557564fb24ba5c8a85b7ee6c44b

The White House "tried to downplay Comey's testimony, as Trump escaped to Louisville for a rally where he won a thunderous reception from an adoring crowd that cared not about whatever had been said on Capitol Hill earlier in the day," Shane Goldmacher and Matt Nussbaum report. "We're in the heartland of America and there is no place I would rather be than here with you tonight," Trump said at the rally. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd77ce43abaa4e8d3956265ef5a3bab96816e89a6dfcb253e5bb4b6c8cb786361c670c06b59f072b024

ONE IS THE LONELIEST NUMBER - Sen. Rand Paul is making life difficult for GOP leaders with his very public opposition to the House Obamacare repeal bill. But he's also driving his Senate colleagues crazy by holding up a treaty ratifying Montenegro's membership in NATO, a proposal that has near universal support among other senators as a quick and easy rebuke to Russia.

Paul's blockade is what sparked the war of words between him and GOP colleague Sen. John McCain last week. But this isn't just a McCain beef-one GOP senator guessed the treaty would pass "99-1" if Paul would let the measure come up for a vote. Burgess and Andrew Hanna with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd787a6810429403fb018cac4835600f9ce01d3f4340e95cb8d8abffe503e6a10d6c6862d116a018dee

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SIREN - MENENDEZ CASE HEADS TO TRIAL: The Supreme Court denied Sen. Robert Menendez's request to have corruption and bribery charges against him thrown out Monday, meaning he'll go to trial in September 2017, Bres reports. If Menendez resigns as part of a plea deal or otherwise before his trial, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would get to appoint a replacement. But the acting senator wouldn't serve for long. New Jersey law requires a special election on or before the date of the next general election, which is November 7, 2017.

It's all politics: "For now, New Jersey Democratic insiders are focused on winning back the governor's office and are not pressuring Menendez to step aside, four party operatives said in interviews. They described little fear of wider fallout," reports Jonathan Tamari for the Philadelphia inquirer.


** A message from the Coalition to Protect America's Health Care: The current bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act could slash the number of Americans that are able to afford or maintain health coverage. Speak up today and tell Congress: Don't support the ACA replacement bill. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd76ffe31661cc5fb59b6c2f47d4669cb2b88148f0e2cc8df379de2a02fa2404b6b1084324978680779 **


CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS - The Center for American Progress, the liberal think tank, is out with a new analysis breaking down the number of health insurance losses due to the GOP repeal bill by congressional district. The districts with the highest number of losses are centered in California and New York, with the top 11 districts all including New York City or its suburbs. And of the 100 districts with the highest number of coverage losses, only 25 are represented by Republicans.

--As for the upcoming special elections, the bill would hit Montana's at-large seat hard, with 75,700 people losing coverage over the next decade. But Georgia's 6th District, which was previously held by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, would escape relatively unscathed. See the complete data set and read about the methodology here.

RENACCI RUNNING FOR OHIO GOV - Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci officially entered the race for governor Monday and he's stealing a play or two from Trump's campaign book, reports Henry Gomez, who broke the news for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd7a3da29fd8350a6cacf453db669be888f0478024a2917867ce3a1550bf2b3d7dd308fc4497fd75740

ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES - Megan Taylor, press secretary for Sen. Cory Gardner, is starting a new gig as communications director for Sen. Dean Heller.

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The Senate meets at 10:30 a.m. with a roll call vote at noon. The House meets at 10 a.m. with first votes around 1 p.m. and last votes around 4 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd7c79820e674040cf00459d360cafb48e0d6303773d98d9632ff87c8f06a2f2d649c6058513d351812

AROUND THE HILL - House Speaker Paul Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Majority Whip Steve Scalise and Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers hold a 10 a.m. press conference after the GOP meeting with President Trump in HC-8.

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce and other members of the committee host Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi at 10:30 a.m. in H-137. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer holds a pen and pad at 11 a.m. in H-144.

Vice President Mike Pence, who tried to woo anti-abortion conservatives on the health care repeal Monday, will be on the Hill lunching with Senate Republicans today after speaking at the NRCC meeting.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley, Vice Chairwoman Linda Sanchez and Reps. Raul Ruiz and Joaquin Castro hold a press conference on Russia and health care at noon in the HVC-215 alcove.

Rep. Barbara Lee and members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus hold a press conference on U.S. involvement in the Syrian civil war at 1:30 p.m. in the House triangle. Sens. John Tester and John Boozman hold a 2:30 p.m. press conference on Iraq war veterans legislation in the Senate swamp.

OFF THE HILL - President Trump speaks at the NRCC dinner tonight at the National Building Museum.

MONDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Shelby Boxenbaum correctly guessed that Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, as a private-practice lawyer, once singled out Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Merrick Garland as examples of judicial nominees who were "grossly mistreated."

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Shelby with today's question: Similar to how President Trump's address to a joint session of Congress was not technically a state of the union, Congress has different ways to receive foreign leaders and dignitaries for speeches. Only two foreign dignitaries have addressed a joint session of Congress, as opposed to a joint meeting. Who are they?

The first person to correctly answer gets a shout out in tomorrow's Huddle. And don't forget, send suggestions for trivia questions my way: hcaygle@politico.com

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** A message from the Coalition to Protect America's Health Care: The American Health Care Act could create tremendous uncertainty for families and individuals looking for affordable coverage. The health care bill could also limit benefits for current Medicaid enrollees and harm programs for our most vulnerable Americans - including children, the elderly, and the disabled.

And these health care changes could affect us all by reducing our community hospitals' ability to provide essential quality care. A decrease in health coverage and continued cuts to hospital funding will impact patient access to care and hospital services.

Tell your senators and representative: Protect patients and access to care. Don't support the American Health Care Act. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=43983a99a277dcd7d83bc08d8f07def8480c06aa34754574c7f332efb040586f8905775137e7f0ee6b868ff626b59ee6 **

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