Zach Warmbrodt (@zachwarmbrodt.com)

Steny Hoyer set to announce retirement from Congress The former second-ranking House Democrat has held his seat since 1981.

SCOOP: Steny Hoyer set to announce retirement from Congress

www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

08.01.2026 02:41 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

House punts Mills censure attempt to the Ethics Committee The House voted 310-103 Wednesday night to send a rebuke of Republican Rep. Cory Mills to the Ethics Committee — a move that now puts larger efforts to censure the Florida Republican on ice. House Republican leaders put the motion on the floor to derail an attempt by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) to formally censure Mills in a rare intraparty feud. Her measure would also have removed him from the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees. The House Ethics Committee announced earlier in the day Wednesday it would form an investigative subpanel to explore whether Mills broke House rules, laws or other standards in violating campaign finance rules or engaged in sexual misconduct or dating violence, among other issues. The Ethics panel’s announcement helped give political cover for Republicans who might have felt pressure to vote to admonish Mills. “I think it’s very clear that the actual committee of jurisdiction is in fact the Ethics Committee. Cooperating with them is my top priority. I believe all the accusations and false things being said will be proven to be absolutely false in many ways, and I have the evidence and receipts and look forward to working with them,” said Mills on the House floor. This isn’t the first time Mace and Mills have publicly sparred. Mills was one of several House Republicans who voted down Mace’s attempt to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in September, leading to a series of testy exchanges between the two that spilled onto social media. The House has been separately embroiled this week in an escalating disciplinary fight. Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) received an admonishment from the legislative body Tuesday for his controversial machinations around his retirement, while Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.) narrowly avoided censure later that night over her communications with the late convicted sex offender Jefrrey Epstein. Democrats responded to the Plaskett effort by suggesting they would force a vote on a measure reprimanding Mills, but stood down after the Plaskett resolution failed. The series of events stoked accusations from some Republicans that Hill leadership of both parties had struck a deal to protect Plaskett and shield Mills. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sidestepped the question earlier Wednesday when asked whether there was such a deal, instead reiterating Democratic threats to bring more retaliatory censure measures against Republicans if more were introduced against Democrats.

House punts Mills censure attempt to the Ethics Committee

20.11.2025 02:25 👍 25 🔁 5 💬 1 📌 0

Congress plots path for Russia sanctions bill with Trump’s blessing Lawmakers are quietly discussing how to quickly move new Russia sanctions legislation — this time with President Donald Trump’s blessing. “The president has now weighed in, in support of the Russia sanctions legislation,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters Wednesday, adding that he believed the House would need to make the first move in advancing the measure. However, House GOP leaders have long believed the Senate needs to act first. Members of the House and Senate are expected to talk Wednesday about advancing the long-stalled bill after Trump privately told top Republicans he supports it, according to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Graham also told reporters Wednesday that the White House sent him a statement that very day about the bill, and that lawmakers involved in its drafting have signed off. The bill would impose tariffs on countries that import Russian energy and implement secondary sanctions on foreign firms that support Russian energy production. “It’s moving,” Graham declared after a closed-door GOP conference lunch. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), who is supporting a bipartisan companion bill of Graham’s in the House, said in an interview Wednesday he believes his chamber could quickly pass the sanctions bill if Trump gave his public blessing. Wilson predicted it would receive overwhelming support from Republicans and Democrats. He conceded that “15 percent” of members of the House GOP Conference “are isolationist” and will vote against Russia sanctions in any scenario. Despite potentially loud protests from that sliver of Republicans, however, Wilson predicted it wouldn’t be enough to tank the effort. But House leadership hasn’t yet said if, or when, it will take up the Russia sanctions legislation, and Congress is quickly running out of time before the end of the year to take action. Thune, on Wednesday, pointed to a December agenda in the Senate already overloaded with appropriations, a defense policy bill, nominations and health care vote. Asked if he believed sanctions could pass this year, he said, “we’ll see.”

Congress plots path for Russia sanctions bill with Trump's blessing

19.11.2025 21:01 👍 36 🔁 7 💬 3 📌 0

Spotted: @politico.com’s Capitol Hill print edition.

(Thank you @billkuchman.bsky.social for putting out the paper)

19.11.2025 21:00 👍 55 🔁 3 💬 4 📌 0

The Senate may pass the Epstein bill today.

“My assumption is the president sounds like he’s prepared to sign it,” Thune says. “So I’d assume it would move fairly quickly over here.”

@jordainc.bsky.social

www.politico.com/live-updates...

18.11.2025 21:07 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Chuy García was the first signer of top aide’s ballot petitions, document shows The Illinois Democrat has sought to distance himself from an apparent scheme to install his chief of staff as his successor. Rep. Chuy García has denied purposely clearing a path for his chief of staff to take his seat without facing a primary, but a document filed with Illinois elections officials shows he was the first to sign her nominating petitions, days before he announced his retirement. García said Tuesday in a note to Democratic colleagues obtained by POLITICO that he “did not circulate petitions for any Congressional campaign except my own.” But that obscures his apparent knowledge of the effort by his top aide, Patty García, to get on the ballot. A petition signature page submitted by Patty García to the Illinois Board of Elections shows the congressman and his closest allies, whom Chuy Garcia has also helped get elected over the years, signed their names. They include Cook County Commissioner Alma Anaya, Illinois state Sen. Celina Villanueva, state Reps. Aaron Ortiz and Norma Hernandez, and Chicago City Council members Jeylú Gutiérrez and Michael Rodriguez. The form is dated Nov. 1, two days before the filing deadline and three days before Rep. García formally announced his retirement. The two Garcías are not related. Fabiola Rodriguez-Ciampoli, a spokeswoman for the congressman, said signing a petition is not the same as circulating them. “He did not circulate petitions” for his chief of staff’s campaign, she said. The House is set to vote Tuesday afternoon on a measure brought by Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez rebuking Rep. Garcia’s move, which essentially assures that Patty García will succeed him as Democratic nominee and likely winner of the 2026 election. Democratic leaders have signaled they are backing the veteran Chicago lawmaker and are whipping against the measure. “We disagree with the resolution that’s being offered, and we should be talking about issues that affect the American people,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), the third-ranking House Democrat. Lead Art: Illinois Congressman Jesús "Chuy" García participates in a House Transportation Committee hearing in 2024. | Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via AP

Chuy García was the first signer of top aide’s ballot petitions, document shows

18.11.2025 19:07 👍 7 🔁 4 💬 2 📌 0

House approves Epstein files bill in near-unanimous vote The legislation is now on track toward the desk of President Donald Trump, who spent months trying to kill it.

NEW: The House voted overwhelmingly to force the Justice Department to release more Epstein files after Trump spent months trying to kill the attempt.

18.11.2025 19:46 👍 81 🔁 17 💬 7 📌 1

NEW: House GOP leaders in a private meeting this morning slammed Obamacare tax credits that are about to expire -- a position at odds with a number of other House Republicans.

Leaders plan to unveil health bills by EOY.

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

18.11.2025 16:35 👍 25 🔁 5 💬 6 📌 0

Capitol agenda: Trump blinks on Epstein as GOP rebels The president's U-turn comes after he spent months trying to block an effort to force the release of more Epstein files.

The GOP is in for a tough week on the Hill.

It’s not just Epstein. House Republicans are set to rebuke Thune’s shutdown deal and ramp up Obamacare talks.

What we're watching 👇

17.11.2025 13:52 👍 149 🔁 47 💬 11 📌 3

NEW: The House plans to vote Tuesday on releasing the Epstein files.

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

14.11.2025 23:29 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1

The next shutdown threat is right around the corner.

The bill that reopened the government set a Jan. 30 deadline to fund around 90 percent of federal operations.

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

13.11.2025 15:36 👍 23 🔁 7 💬 3 📌 2

Trump signs bill ending longest government shutdown in US history After the House cleared the bill earlier in the evening, the president signed it into law in an Oval Office ceremony.

The shutdown is OVER.

Until Jan. 30.

www.politico.com/live-updates...

13.11.2025 03:51 👍 48 🔁 13 💬 0 📌 0

The shutdown is ending, and House Democrats are furious.

Just listen to @delauro.house.gov.

“The Senate says they will have a vote [on ACA subsidies]. Do I trust any of them? Hell no.”

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

13.11.2025 02:11 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

House votes to reopen government after 43-day shutdown The measure now heads to the White House, where President Donald Trump’s signature will end the historic funding lapse.

The shutdown is ending.

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

13.11.2025 01:33 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Epstein files vote happening next week, Johnson says The speaker said he would move up the timeline after a bipartisan discharge effort succeeded Wednesday.

Epstein vote happening NEXT WEEK, Mike Johnson says.

Republicans expect a mass defection, perhaps 100 or more.

www.politico.com/live-updates...

13.11.2025 00:33 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

House GOP committee leaders to hold health care brainstorming sessions The conversations with members will also focus on the fate of expiring Obamacare tax credits.

House committee chairs will begin having listening sessions next week with Republican members on health care policy and the fate of expiring Obamacare subsidies.

www.politico.com/live-updates...

12.11.2025 22:15 👍 15 🔁 5 💬 7 📌 3

Adelita Grijalva sworn in to House, pledges to force Epstein disclosure

@nicholaswu12.bsky.social

www.politico.com/live-updates...

12.11.2025 21:21 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

“.. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), the co-sponsor of the bill with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), told reporters Wednesday he believed ‘40 to 50’ Republicans would join Democrats in supporting the bill in the House.”

@politico.com
www.politico.com/live-updates...

12.11.2025 19:46 👍 516 🔁 128 💬 24 📌 12

Most of the shutdown saga focused on Democrats’ health care demands.

But the final piece of the deal was federal worker protections sought by @kaine.senate.gov.

Or as he put it, “a moratorium on mischief.”

@jordainc.bsky.social

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

11.11.2025 13:47 👍 14 🔁 3 💬 3 📌 0

NEW: Thune is behind a piece of the govt funding bill that would let senators sue for the seizure of their phone records.

Ted Cruz says “Leader Thune inserted that in the bill.”

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

11.11.2025 01:00 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

The Senate is expected to vote around 5 p.m. to approve the shutdown deal.

@jordainc.bsky.social

www.politico.com/live-updates...

10.11.2025 21:37 👍 15 🔁 10 💬 5 📌 0

Jeffries backs Schumer

@nicholaswu12.bsky.social

www.politico.com/live-updates...

10.11.2025 17:35 👍 24 🔁 4 💬 19 📌 3

Mike Johnson's urging House members to head back to Capitol Hill “right now."

He thinks he'll have the votes to pass the shutdown deal.

www.politico.com/live-updates...

10.11.2025 16:12 👍 27 🔁 7 💬 7 📌 1

SHUTDOWN ENDGAME:

It’s possible the Senate passes the deal today.

The House GOP leadership circle expects to pass it once Trump leans on Republicans.

www.politico.com/live-updates...

10.11.2025 13:33 👍 14 🔁 3 💬 1 📌 0

Update: The White House isn’t standing in the way of the emerging shutdown deal, effectively green-lighting it, per two people with direct knowledge.

09.11.2025 20:47 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Shutdown latest:

- Senators growing optimistic they have at least 8 Ds to move forward Sunday

- Potential deal is full-year funding bills for several agencies, a CR thru Jan. 30 for rest of govt and a vote likely next month on ACA subsidies

@jordainc.bsky.social

www.politico.com/live-updates...

09.11.2025 20:12 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 1

The Senate’s hoping for a weekend miracle as it faces, in the words of Sen. John Kennedy, “an intergalactic freak show.”

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

08.11.2025 02:17 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Resolving the issue at the heart of the shutdown -- the upcoming expiration of Obamacare subsidies -- is looking more uncertain, per @politico.com’s latest vibe check of bipartisan talks.

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

07.11.2025 14:59 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

DECISION DAY for Senate Dems, who will likely block Thune’s latest attempt to end the shutdown.

There was bipartisan optimism at the beginning of the week but the mood has turned gloomier.

www.politico.com/live-updates...

07.11.2025 14:25 👍 31 🔁 1 💬 6 📌 0

Democrats are ready to reject the latest GOP shutdown offer but there are real tensions behind the scenes.

“We are not going to get a better offer,” says one Dem aide involved in bipartisan talks.

@jordainc.bsky.social

www.politico.com/news/2025/11...

07.11.2025 02:07 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Zach Warmbrodt

Latest posts by Zach Warmbrodt @zachwarmbrodt.com