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02/26/2018 08:03 AM EDT


By Nolan D. McCaskill (nmccaskill@politico.com or @NolanDMcCaskill)

CONGRESS BACK IN SESSION -- Lawmakers will return to the Hill today after a weeklong recess, but little action is expected on the two big issues dominating national debate: gun control and immigration. The House is scheduled for a short work week -- it won't vote on Wednesday or Thursday as the late Rev. Billy Graham lies in honor in the Capitol Rotunda. The Senate will maintain its regular schedule. But after the failed immigration debate on the Senate floor, the chamber is poised to take up nominations this week. Still, lawmakers are likely to begin discussing behind the scenes what -- if anything -- can pass on guns.

President Donald Trump called for action on gun reform after meeting with victims of the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting, as well as other students, teachers and state and local officials. But it's Republican leaders in the House and Senate who determine what comes to the floor. "For now, it appears that any gun debate would likely include just modest changes to gun laws, like the proposal to strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check System by incentivizing states and agencies to more readily include valuable records into the system" Lauren Fox and Ted Barrett report for CNN. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec4730065a0a6a0c15b3c9968d700a4c1e9587809c8c8da70b17a857ad46d3951028cd48fd9f71c5e00

CENTRIST REPUBLICANS PRESS FOR GUN VOTE -- Nineteen House Republicans requested that House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) schedule a vote this week on legislation that would improve the national background check system for firearm purchases. "The bill, which is narrow in focus, would reinforce the requirement that federal agencies report all criminal infractions to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and create financial incentives for states to do so as well," Mike DeBonis and Jeff Stein report for The Washington Post. "Last year, the House passed the bill but only after coupling it with a measure allowing gun owners to carry concealed weapons across state lines, which Senate
Democrats labeled a nonstarter."

More than 100 House Democrats plan to co-sponsor legislation this week banning assault weapons. Such a ban has the support of Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Democratic Caucus Chairman Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.). Still, "[t]he proposal in all likelihood is dead on arrival because Republicans control Congress and have not expressed support for it," they add. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec4c810fa8dce303748bd70988dd7bd12acc1eabcd3b0c0d90bacc85e07bca00db594374b36591d57f1

GOVERNORS TELL CONGRESS: DO SOMETHING -- Republican and Democratic governors over the weekend urged federal lawmakers to consider strengthening background checks for gun purchases. "Democrats and Republicans alike said they planned to force their way in front of both administration officials and legislators as they gather at the National Governors Association meeting in downtown Washington," Gabriel Debenedetti and Daniel Strauss report. "Even as the predictable party-line divides over the sensitive issues remained on display, the state executives were unanimous in their boiling frustration that they hadn't been consulted more on questions of arming teachers, how to handle expanding
background checks or imposing age limits on assault weapons."

Trump will meet with governors at the White House this morning. His proposal to arm teachers, however, "was met with far more skepticism, even from pro-gun Republicans" over the weekend, they write. "That was paired with outright pessimism over the prospect of a legislative deal." But governors at least concede that the political ground is shifting on gun reform, and, according to Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, governors have been sharing notes on gun policy and school safety across party lines. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec492b66be36a8ccc15ea1c730c69edc0ecbb042c6e846a726b07cf0b0877ba55e1cb860ebba15affdd

Related: "Is This the Moment for Gun Control? A Gridlocked Congress is Under Pressure," via The New York Times: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec436dca928dfda0e0bf1ae3572b9e72c9ae6eaa130c2d7e063c77054c5ec27fd70936da05d4904686b

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR WEEKEND. Thanks for reading Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Monday, Feb. 26.

FRIDAY'S MOST CLICKED: Matthew Nussbaum, Louis Nelson and Cristiano Lima's report on President Donald Trump's ideas on gun control was the big winner.

CAMPAIGN TRUMP HITS CPAC -- President Donald Trump was back in campaign form when he addressed the CPAC crowd on Friday as he gears up for the 2018 midterms. "Trump warned that complacency in November's elections could lead to Democratic gains in Congress and, in turn, gun control and higher taxes," Lorraine Woellert and Cristiano Lima report. "Republicans, who control the House and Senate, have advanced their agenda sometimes in spite of the president. Going into this year's midterms, it's far from certain that Trump, or the party, can translate those accomplishments into congressional gains."

Though Democrats are defending 25 Senate seats, including 10 in states Trump won in 2016, they hope to capitalize on the president's low approval ratings, seemingly never-ending scandals and multiple investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign, including possible collusion with Trump associates, in effort to retake the House and Senate. Trump, however, argued that the country needs more Republicans. "If they get in, they will repeal your tax cuts, they will put judges in that you wouldn't believe, they'll take away your Second Amendment, which we will never allow to happen," Trump warned of Democrats. More on the president's CPAC address:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec416a211d58ae891e590dafedb0a5113469facf2451baa456d3149233c7f998c3b406c96c9f2ab3c05

Related read: "Supreme Court could cripple public unions in run-up to 2018 midterms," by Andrew Hanna and Caitlin Emma: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec448061803c04fb31914689ecbf75b3238e6dd5fc7e6d458e1abf87cc5174db17f159d9bfa06aabf09

TRUMP PUSHING PERSONAL PILOT TO LEAD FAA -- Trump's personal pilot is on a short list to lead the FAA, a five-year post that requires Senate confirmation. "Trump has told a host of administration officials and associates that he wants John Dunkin -- his longtime personal pilot, who flew him around the country on Trump Force One during the campaign -- to helm the agency, which has a budget in the billions and which oversees all civil aviation in the United States," Jonathan Swan reports for Axios. Other candidates include Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec478e078e2d3ec5e3ce7328fcc6cf4f1e30aa7b328ff13d418234c63f765d865b0d935b30f6bb516f5

HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE RELEASES DEM MEMO -- A Democratic memo released by the House Intelligence Committee over the weekend claims the FBI team investigating Trump's campaign contacts with Russians had already opened inquiries into people connected to the campaign when it received a controversial dossier. By the time the FBI received the dossier in mid-September 2016, "the counterintelligence investigation into Trump's campaign was seven weeks old," Kyle reports. "The committee posted the heavily redacted 10-page document Saturday after weeks of wrangling between the panel's top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, and Justice Department officials over the contours of classified
material he hoped to release."

"It's unclear whether the memo was declassified by Trump or whether the redactions advised by the FBI and Justice Department omitted any remaining classified details in the Democratic document," Kyle adds. "But it opens a new partisan front in a battle that has consumed the House Intelligence Committee and has all but derailed its efforts to probe Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election." Trump called the memo "a total political and legal BUST" on Twitter. Its release came three weeks after the panel released a GOP memo alleging that FBI officials misled a secret court to obtain a warrant to spy on a Trump campaign adviser. Much more:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec4360e5476d6a72d706128eb01444082454fd6369e6e4a4e3fd2a425a578a028797c6c40666a408fab

WHOOPS: TAX LAW FULL OF GLITCHES -- Republicans' $1.5 trillion tax law is full of dozens of glitches. "It's hardly surprising there would be bugs in the sprawling new law ... but some experts say the sheer number is unusual, and blame the breakneck pace at which the legislation was pushed through Congress," Brian Faler reports. "Republicans would like to address the problems as soon as next month, as part of legislation needed to fund the government. But to do that, they'll need assistance from Democrats, and it's unclear they are in any mood to help." Much more: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec4f09c31cee8d8218e3837862ed6d788d723e11f4b1684d0f50130a21fee923024dbc84bbbe031fd5a

CALI DEMS SNUB FEINSTEIN -- The California Democratic Party declined to endorse its senior senator, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), over the weekend. "Riven by conflict between progressive and more moderate forces at the state party's annual convention here, delegates favored Feinstein's progressive rival, state Senate leader Kevin de León, over Feinstein by a vote of 54 percent to 37 percent," David Siders and Carla Marinucci report. Both candidates fell short of the 60 percent threshold to win the party's endorsement for 2018, but de León nevertheless claimed the vote as a boost to his campaign.

The vote was embarrassing for Feinstein but not a complete surprise. "A centrist Democrat, Feinstein has long maintained an uneasy relationship with activists who dominate state party conventions," they note, adding that the snub "appears unlikely to immediately alter the trajectory of a contest Feinstein is leading by a wide margin." Feinstein outpolls de León by nearly 30 percentage points among likely California voters and boasted nearly $10 million cash on hand at the end of 2017, while de León reported raising just $500,000. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec47f183aac1b886976cae453d0aeb529840c3c93399140c372705c1b8236f5e92372e86583a0bc82c3

NATIONAL DEMS SNUB LIPINSKI -- Neither the DNC nor the DCCC has endorsed incumbent Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), a conservative anti-abortion Democrat who has voted against Obamacare, marriage equality and immigration reform. "The question of whether the [DCCC] will officially back Lipinski for reelection -- he faces a stiff primary challenge from the left -- has triggered an outbreak of ill will and finger-pointing from each wing of the party toward the other," Heather reports. "With less than a month until the March 20 primary, tensions that have been brewing privately for weeks between the caucus' centrist and progressive lawmakers are now spilling out into a messy public spat."

Leaders of the House Blue Dog Coalition left a January dinner with DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) thinking a Lipinski endorsement was in the works. A week later, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), the DCCC's national chairwoman for candidate services, endorsed Lipinski's primary opponent, Marie Newman, as did Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.). Several Democratic lawmakers and aides worry the DCCC's actions "could have a chilling effect on current members and potential candidates who don't line up with the progressive purity test liberals are pushing." Despite the lack of support, internal polls show Lipinski leading Newman 57 percent to 21 percent. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec4a291cb26dcf32ffce7dc4f16e0276d5dba4a3fd60d5eaecfe3beef82622a55561fd315d2b1f3a64a

MCDANIEL TEASES MONDAY ANNOUNCEMENT ON POLITICAL FUTURE -- Republican Mississippi state Sen. Chris McDaniel announced over the weekend that he will share "important information" about his political future tonight on Facebook Live. "McDaniel has said he has been looking at a run for the United States Senate in the GOP primary against incumbent Senator Roger Wicker of Tupelo," WTVA's Craig Ford reports. "There has been speculation he could run for Senator Thad Cochran's seat if the senior senator decides to step down or run for lieutenant governor next year. McDaniel tried to unseat Cochran in 2014 but lost." The state's filing deadline is Thursday. More:
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec4843f2c3d35cc9137d006e999d6a4c9f6e1ff2c5d33006288cd9b33ec34685c5ef29fb644df88fa3a

MOVING ON -- Robbie Myers starts today as digital director for the Department of Energy. He previously served as digital director for the Senate Republican Conference.

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TODAY IN CONGRESS -- The House gavels in at 12 p.m. with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m. Today's agenda: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=f11dd1ea8ce80ec45eacaad04fec9e8a5e5b77cf4ce8e238d5994dd72b572f276d94f1e0430a1184e7968b03487b03e3 The Senate meets at 3 p.m. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) will deliver Washington's farewell address, then the chamber will resume consideration of judicial nominee Elizabeth Branch, with a procedural vote set for 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER -- Gerald Auerbach was first to correctly guess that Supreme Court Justice Stephen Johnson Field's life was threatened to the point that President Benjamin Harrison appointed Deputy U.S. Marshal David Neagle to protect him.

TODAY'S TRIVIA -- Ken Leach with today's question: Fifteen minutes before leaving for the theater where he was assassinated, President Abraham Lincoln signed his last bill into law. What agency did it create? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your best guess my way: nmccaskill@politico.com.

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