House Dems solidify their anti-Trump policy chiefs

House Democrats have largely set their team for countering President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda next year. While the caucus is still making other Democratic committee heads official, they decided several contested panel leader elections Tuesday morning, with uncontested elections for leadership recommendations later in the day. House Democrats largely saw the contested races to lead Democrats […]

Trump eyes donor for Air Force chief

Trump donor Andrew McKenna is a leading contender for secretary of the Air Force, according to three people close to the transition. McKenna, a private pilot who heads a small Washington advisory and investment firm, would be the latest of Trump’s picks to take on a top job at the Pentagon without significant experience inside […]

Generational change meets its limits with Connolly’s win over AOC

Rep. Gerry Connolly’s triumph over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the top Democratic spot on the Oversight Committee illustrates the limits of the party’s demand for generational change, with a well-established centrist beating out a progressive standard-bearer. While the victory went beyond ideology, there were simmering fears among centrists about how elevating Ocasio-Cortez, an outspoken liberal […]

Craig wins vote to lead House Agriculture Democrats

Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) will lead Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee in the next Congress after winning a caucus vote Tuesday. Craig, 52, beat out Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), 72, for the role by a vote of 121 to 91, according to five Democrats in the room, granted anonymity to share the private vote […]

Trump taps Brooks to lead HHS landing team

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped John Brooks to lead his HHS landing team, three people familiar with the selection granted anonymity to discuss government transition efforts told POLITICO. The elevation of Brooks, a former senior Medicare official during Trump’s first term who went on to advise former HHS Secretary Alex Azar on drug pricing policy, […]

Connolly wins vote to be top Oversight Democrat

Rep. Gerry Connolly cemented his victory as the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, besting Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in a closed-door caucus vote Tuesday morning, according to two people in the room for the vote. On Monday, Connolly (D-Va.) won the recommendation of the powerful Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, which oversees committee assignments. The […]

Congress strikes deal on $100B in disaster aid and punting funding into March, House GOP leaders say

Congressional leaders have struck a bipartisan deal to push the government funding deadline to March 14 and deliver more than $100 billion in emergency aid for disaster relief, House Republican leaders told their conference Tuesday morning. The year-end package, which will be the last major legislation Congress clears this year, is expected to include a […]

What we’re watching: CR slog a preview of fights to come

 🗓️ What we’re watching Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has less than four days to get his caucus to agree on a short-term spending bill. The fight highlights the challenges he will face trying to pass President-elect Donald Trump’s ambitious agenda with a razor-thin majority next year.  Tech leaders are lining up to give to Trump’s […]