We made it to Friday of a very long week in Washington. Capitol Hill is in absolute chaos — and just turned somber. On a lighter note, it’s National Coffee Day and some coffee shops are serving free coffee today. Here’s what’s happening today in politics: - Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has died, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are paying their respects.
- Lawmakers are saying a government shutdown by Sunday appears inevitable. Federal workers are preparing to either be furloughed or work without temporary pay.
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Parts of New York City are experiencing extreme flooding this morning after torrential downpours. The videos are wild.
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips, commentary, feedback and cookie recipes to cmartel@digital-stage.thehill.com. Did someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up here. |
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Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), one of the Senate’s most prominent women, died at the age of 90, her office announced this morning.
From her office: “Sadly, Senator Feinstein passed away last night at her home in Washington, D.C. … There are few women who can be called senator, chairman, mayor, wife, mom and grandmother. Senator Feinstein was a force of nature who made an incredible impact on our country and her home state.” Read the full statement from Feinstein’s office
What we know about her week: Feinstein didn’t attend a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said, “she didn’t feel well.” She took part in Senate votes on Thursday morning but missed the afternoon votes. Morning vote roll call — Feinstein voted “yea.”
Afternoon vote roll call — Feinstein was listed as “not voting.”
Feinstein had been struggling with her health: She has been using a wheelchair to move around the Senate and had missed nearly three months of work earlier this year due to shingles.
What this means politically: Democrats’ Senate majority shrinks to 50 seats. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will appoint a temporary replacement. It also leaves a vacancy on the Senate Judiciary Committee. |
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➤ REACTIONS AND REMEMBRANCES: |
This photo gave me chills: NBC News’s Frank Thorp posted that “Sen Dianne Feinstein’s desk on the Senate floor draped in black cloth with a vase of white roses to honor her passing.” Photo of Feinstein’s desk today
From President Biden: “Senator Dianne Feinstein was a pioneering American. A true trailblazer. And for Jill and me, a cherished friend.” Read Biden’s full statement
From Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.): “Dianne Feinstein was … a friend, a hero for so many … a leader who changed the nature of the Senate and who changed the fabric of the nation, America, for the better.” (The Hill)
From former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.): “Dianne’s extraordinary career will continue to inspire countless young women and girls to pursue public service for generations to come.” (The Hill)
Her daughter is in the Senate gallery today: “Sen Feinstein’s daughter, Katherine, is sitting in the gallery with former Speaker Pelosi watching these speeches honoring Sen Feinstein, Schumer says.” (From NBC News’s Frank Thorp) From Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who served on the Judiciary Committee with Feinstein: “She was one of the most effective legislators in recent memory because of her willingness to work across the aisle in good faith in order to solve complex problems.”
From Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa): “Sen Feinstein did an outstanding job representing the [people of California … She’s a true public servant [and] I’ll miss her.” Grassley’s full post More reactions from lawmakers
C-SPAN’s Howard Mortman posted a video of Feinstein’s first floor speech in 1993. Watch the clip — I love the Barbie pink top.
The Bulwark’s Joe Perticone posted a photo of “Feinstein with Bill Walsh and Eddie DeBartolo after the Niners won the super bowl in 1985.”
CBS News’s Bo Erickson posted: “This is how I will remember Sen. Feinstein: I snapped this pic in Sept. 2018 in the middle of Kavanaugh’s SCOTUS confirmation hearings. Sen. Murkowski (right) was weighing her support, and…Feinstein moved in. A few days later, Murkowski opposed the nomination.” The photo of Feinstein and Murkowski
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It’s looking likely that the federal government will shut down after 11:59 p.m. Saturday. What’s holding up funding?: House Republicans are using the deadline to push for deep spending cuts and a few immigration policy changes. These proposals are very partisan though, so they have almost no chance of passing both chambers of Congress.
What’s happening in the House: House Republicans unveiled their new plan to keep the government open, which includes roughly 30 percent in deep spending cuts. It’s unclear whether this bill can pass the House — Republicans can only lose four GOP votes — but that bill is dead on arrival in the Senate. (The Hill)
House Republicans had a win last night, though it won’t help keep the government open: Last night, House Republicans approved a bill to fund the Defense Department. While that won’t help fund the government, GOP leaders are hoping the win will talk conservatives into being more lenient with a short-term funding bill. Helpful explainer on how this ties in
What’s happening in the Senate: The Senate is expected to vote on its bipartisan government funding extension through Nov. 17. The problem: Opponents of that no-frills bill are delaying a vote, trying to buy more time for House Republicans to pass their own plan. And Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has said he will not bring that bill to the House floor. (The Hill)
When will we know if there will be a shutdown?: We may not know until the final moments before the midnight Sunday deadline. Live blog to follow how this saga plays out |
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➤ WHAT HAPPENS IF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN?: |
What does this mean for federal employees?: “Caught in the middle are the nation’s roughly 2 million federal workers and its approximately 1.3 million active-duty troops.” Some will be furloughed and some will be required to show up for work without pay, though they would receive backpay when the government reopens. (The Washington Post)
Who is considered ‘essential?’: That’s up to each part of the government. (Federal Times)
The pandas’ going-away party could be cut short: The National Zoo has been holding a nine-day “Panda Palooza” to celebrate the pandas before they return to China. But because the zoo receives federal funding, the zoo will close on Sunday if the government shuts down. (NPR)
Oh come on. Fat Bear Week IS essential: Every October, the bears of Alaska’s Katmai National Park compete in a bracket for the best fat bear prepared for hibernation. ABC News’s Sarah Beth Hensley reports that agencies, including parks, cannot post updates to their social media pages. What this means for Fat Bear Week
^ And yes: Most national parks would close during a shutdown. (The New York Times)
Ah, this is an interesting effect: Washingtonian’s Amy Moeller advised couples getting married soon to get their marriage licenses before the government shuts down (!) Details |
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Four inches of rain fell over parts of New York City in just three hours this morning, causing major flooding. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) declared a state of emergency. (CNN) | |
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The general consensus coming out of Wednesday night’s GOP presidential debate was that it was fairly meaningless. No candidate has emerged as a leading alternative to the absent front-runner, former President Trump — and they spent the evening yelling over one another. Fox News moderator Dana Perino even told the candidates: “It’s now obvious that if you all stay in the race, former President Donald Trump wins the nomination.”
How this could play out for the Republican presidential nomination, via The Hill’s Julia Mueller and Caroline Vakil |
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The House and Senate are both in on a Friday (!) President Biden and Vice President Harris are in Washington, D.C. (all times Eastern) |
- Noon: Two Senate confirmation votes. 🗓️ Today’s agenda
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12:30 p.m.: White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre briefs reporters. Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, also speaks. 📺 Livestream
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1:15 p.m.: Last House votes. 🗓️ Today’s agenda
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☕️ Cheers: Today is National Coffee Day! Here’s a list of coffee specials. (CNN)
👔 Well, well, well. Look who’s wearing a suit: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) wore a suit as he walked to preside over the Senate. Photo from Semafor’s Joseph Zeballos-Roig
🍻 Because D.C. knows how to party at times like this: Restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area are offering government shutdown specials. (Washingtonian) 🍔 McDonald’s is selling Mumbo sauce!: McDonald’s announced that it will serve the D.C.-famous Mumbo sauce nationally for a limited time. (DCist) |
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To leave you with something happy, here’s a dog who *may* have celebrated National Coffee Day just a little too hard. |
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