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07/26/2017 07:59 AM EDT


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

With an assist from Daniel Lippman

GOP LEADERS EYE 'SKINNY' REPEAL - With a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence and a dramatic return from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Republicans finally agreed to open up debate Tuesday on their Obamacare repeal efforts. So now what? The leading idea is to roll back a small portion of Obamacare, called a "skinny repeal" by some, just to get a bill out of the Senate at the end of this week and into a conference with the House, Jen, Seung Min and Burgess report.

'Whatever gets to 50': The skinny repeal would roll back three parts of Obamacare: the individual and employer mandates and the medical device tax, according to Republican sources. "Whatever gets to 50," said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). But there's still no guarantee the fractured GOP conference can unite around the plan.

Remember, there's still a lot of votes to get to that point. Late Tuesday night, nine Republicans joined with Democrats to oppose the GOP's latest repeal and replace plan, which had a controversial amendment from Rep. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) attached. Today, senators will vote on Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) "repeal only" idea - also expected to fail - and a long vote-a-rama on dozens of other amendments is expected Thursday. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bca83dd1e89f7183b889b14bdc9120107accf7e2c53eaa0b3e3630120f328106d79ce56c6ba0c00f15607ab9ab29f770f9

Related reading: "What's next in the Senate repeal saga? Good question." Paul Demko breaks it down: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bc33e8f8cbf326ee0ba14dccb2f36b022ba1d58732f6f164fa1232b9dc29b6fc7fcbd0d0f73e0d297500bfd526a5680933

SO HOW DID THEY GET TO YES? Just the fact that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was able to get 50 of his members to vote in favor of starting debate is a remarkable feat. The saga involved a tense floor exchange between the GOP leader and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) - who has accused McConnell of a "breach of trust" in negotiations - and a furious round of mid-flight texts from Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) Monday about leadership pressure. "This leadership line of pass something, anything, is dangerous and potent," Lee typed out during a flight from Salt Lake, according to an observer. Burgess, SMK and Jen again: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bcde58471f23a21e65def298bc75f13f13795ab1b3ce114373d9a075b23a442b92a8f015e8ad52f48460865273c68d22b8

Bres keeps it real: McConnell got a huge win Tuesday but now he faces an even harder test - getting something passed. "There's no guarantee McConnell can pull an Obamacare repeal rabbit out of his hat by the end of this week. But at least the show has finally started after nearly two months of delays," Bres reports. "I think his blood pressure's about 90 over 50, with about a 40 pulse, OK? He's very calm through the storm," Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said about the GOP leader. More on McConnell's work behind the scenes: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bca2bfe04132310a09ef545c4996906c9754c5a1f45594defc74f7e714aba815128b5b55e39937463afa21b5a8ee1864fb

McCAIN'S TRIUMPHANT RETURN - Sen. John McCain, recently diagnosed with brain cancer and now sporting a lengthy scar above his eye, was welcomed back with a standing ovation in the Senate chamber. And then he did the most McCain thing ever. Elana explains: "McCain waved spiritedly to a throng of reporters as he entered the chamber he's called home for 30 years, served as the crucial 50th vote to proceed to a repeal debate, and delivered a passionate speech undercutting the 'shell of a bill' he had just agreed to take up," she reports. "I have every intention of returning here and giving many of you cause to regret all the nice things you said about me," McCain said. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bcd90675937bd3115a806664575c1dfb23d762d4e254eb55d37d8972480b87192d86bd354b16e6859b54796014eb66b959

And don't miss this other good McCain write up, from Paul Kane at the Washington Post: McCain "delivered a 15-minute excoriation of the modern Senate. ...A Senate so broken that the only way to even begin a health-care debate was to drag an 80-year-old man, diagnosed last week with brain cancer, 2,300 miles across the nation from Phoenix to cast that critical vote."

YES, IT'S ONLY WEDNESDAY. Welcome to July 26 and thanks for tuning into POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill.

TUESDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Rachael, Bres and Sarah's story about unhappy GOP House appropriators asking Republican leaders to delay recess was the winner.

GOP RALLIES BEHIND SESSIONS - "Congressional Republicans and conservative activists rallied behind Jeff Sessions on Tuesday, as President Donald Trump continued his public humiliation campaign against the embattled attorney general," Austin, Seung Min and Kyle report. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called Sessions "one of the most decent people I've ever met" and several other GOP senators offered similar statements of support. But some Republicans, including Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), had a different take. Ryan said it was Trump's "prerogative" who he hires and fires in the executive branch. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bcaf296f98efd54072c0f940d8e30c4c1ae91257f96f468515989bd8c03baea52c4807886ad4fa1b2b8863df75825f2a19

Some lawmakers are warning Trump not to fire Sessions, saying they fear it could be the first step in an attempt to kill the federal Russia investigation. "All hell would break loose," Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, told David Drucker with the Washington Examiner. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bcd858b2867abd9d24470fdb7c22863518c4e374989416b606a5d7a23e3bc5d10ddd6677e3968d57b515428ad48f7bb480

Sessions has been under fire from Trump over the last week for recusing himself in the Russia probe months ago, a move that led to special counsel Robert Mueller's appointment. The two men are not currently on speaking terms and Sessions has sent word to the White House that he has no plans to resign. Josh Dawsey: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bcdf6e5558eb9f7afb230310c4199943923a140beb7add5f4d1ed7758622661a4ce7846f6d00b342ceaec9483b51f50385

SANCTIONS BILL MOVES TO SENATE - The House overwhelmingly approved new sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea Tuesday, teeing up the bipartisan package to be cleared by the Senate before the August recess. The White House has yet to say if Trump will sign the bill, possibly triggering the first veto override of his young presidency. Elana with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bca52227ff068e8f5b295ac139ad90c36dbb145aaf54cce54d35ed57a45c0f31073283571815fd42d9390889ac29b866df

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ AIDE ARRESTED AT DULLES - A longtime staffer for Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) was arrested Monday at Dulles airport before boarding a plane to Pakistan. Imran Awan pled not guilty to one count of bank fraud Tuesday and was released with "highly-supervised" conditions. Awan and several of his family members, who were also House Democratic staffers, have been at the center of a criminal investigation on Capitol Hill for months. Other lawmakers cut ties with the staffers but Wasserman Schultz has kept Awan on her payroll until yesterday, even though he was barred from accessing the House computer network. Awan's lawyer said the case is a "ring-wing media driven
prosecution" because his client is Muslim. Your Huddle host and Bres: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bc8d928d7e258376ddeb921934f4920da91f3514ba0c66ec546bbdc358cb12001b85ae622ec6ad2ebff96ea9f27e613b58

JUDICIARY DROPS MANAFORT SUBPOENA - The Senate Judiciary Committee has dropped a subpoena compelling Paul Manafort to testify today about a meeting he, Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner had with a Russian lawyer last year. Manafort, who along with Kushner was on the Hill Tuesday meeting with congressional investigators on the Intel committees, has agreed to a transcribed interview with Senate Judiciary members in the future. Josh Dawsey, Madeline Conway and Kyle with more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bc7a9beb45b53871932e7ee64bf52848b2cbdb4ba275309955f82a05d4bb1ae3b5792bdc475b2cd57820e8104b4853deaa

WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY IN BRADY CAMPAIGN SCHEME - A Pennsylvania pastor pled guilty Tuesday to a federal felony for participating in a scheme that led a 2012 primary challenger to Rep. Bob Brady (D-Pa.) to drop out of the race, Josh Gerstein reports. Carolyn Cavaness admitted to helping create false FEC reports disguising the fact that Brady's campaign agreed to pay $90,000 in expenses for her boss, Jimmie Moore, who was challenging Brady. "No charges have been announced against Moore or Brady. However, one court filing made public Tuesday indicates prosecutors believe Brady attempted to influence the testimony of at least one witness in the investigation." More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bc0f2c0fb9436a66fbce73875894fc9aedcfbaa18e898278b198e58fe9860c43c169e7a3e9183af5fbc18dda9ca21f03f3

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND - Democratic Rep. Louise Slaughter, dean of the New York congressional delegation, will host Gov. Andrew Cuomo today for a meeting with fellow Empire State Democrats on the Hill. On the menu: Obamacare and transportation funding, among other topics. Cuomo will meet with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao later in the day, Shane Goldmacher reports for the New York Times.

IS IT TOO LATE NOW TO SAY SORRY? Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has apologized after being caught on a hot mic Tuesday calling Rep. Blake Farenthold "huge" and "so unattractive, it's unbelievable." Her remarks to Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) - who colorfully said Collins could most certainly kick Farenthold's butt - came after the Texas Republican made a remark Monday about challenging Collins and other female GOP senators to an Obamacare-related duel, if only they were men. "Neither weapons nor inappropriate words are the right way to resolve legislative disputes," Collins said in a statement, noting Farenthold also sent her a handwritten apology.

COMING TO A BOOKSHELF NEAR YOU - Sen. Jeff Flake, up for reelection next year and facing a possible primary challenge from the Trump-wing of the party, is writing a book, the New York Times reports. "Working privately, and largely without the knowledge of political advisers, he has written a book that amounts to an ideological manifesto for his own version of conservatism, according to three people briefed on the manuscript," Alex Burns reports. "All three said it would likely inflame debate about the direction of the Republican Party." No word on when it will be released. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bc2f3450a3f4efc9e66edc304592dbfef5d1f4d80a0a9c4c44cf8aeb18f968868b511963458b8088477d4ed699d3e6c52c

WELCOME TO THE WORLD - Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.) and Christine Costello, a finance consultant, on Monday welcomed Caroline Grace Costello, who weighed in at 9 lbs 6 oz. She joins big brother Ryan Jr. in the "overjoyed" Costello household. Pics of Rep. Costello with Caroline and Ryan Jr: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bc29f29caac05b46f0e8775d5811975fbc08ca872331930891736184cc0748f39cc80b19c674a07854d562ee83ea725c28 and http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bca1f3eb52eed9ab3c1e001258f7bfdd6a04dd3577836267747219a5ad67af0031093d12b1f115d6ed015b3e245b6c69c4

TODAY IN CONGRESS - The House gavels in at 10 a.m. with first votes at 1:30 p.m. and last votes at 10 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=e84a1716fed267bc3321b2c6aa11a27af6f1a998804386b5f3adaefd1aa8147c0cf5be7fd1c6a59e908ab08f5862f11d64382d09a256646a The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m. with roll call votes at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. related to the GOP's Obamacare repeal.

AROUND THE HILL - Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) hold a 12 p.m. press conference in front of the Supreme Court about the potential impact the GOP's health care bill will have on the disability community.

TUESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER - Emily Farnell correctly guessed that Georgia Rep. John Coffee was the Jacksonian Democrat who has the honor of being the first House member posthumously elected, according to the House historian. Coffee "died September 25, 1836, but was reelected posthumously on October 3, 1836, 'announcement of his death not having been received.'"

TODAY'S TRIVIA - Emily with today's question: In honor of the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Education Assistance Act passing out of the House 405-0 on Monday and its imminent move in the Senate, here is a tidbit of GI Bill trivia: When President Roosevelt signed the original GI Bill on June 22, 1944, who received the first pen? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send answers my way: hcaygle@politico.com

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