The Hill's Morning Report — Biden, GOP fish for votes with economic bait
President Biden on Thursday sharpened his warnings to voters: If Republicans are in charge in Congress, GOP “trickle-down” economic policies will raise costs for American families and “make inflation worse.” “When I took office, the economy was in ruins,” he said during a speech in Syracuse, N.Y., before touting major legislative changes enacted under Democrats and aimed at fortifying America’s economic competitiveness and its middle class. House Republicans, who sense that election results after Nov. 8 may
Read MoreRepublicans take fresh look at New Hampshire Senate race
Republicans are refocusing on the New Hampshire Senate race with just two weeks left before the November midterms as recent polling shows Sen. Maggie Hassan’s (D) lead against Republican Don Bolduc shrinking. The New Hampshire Senate seat had been seen as one of Republicans’ best pickup opportunities going into the midterm cycle. But the primary win by Bolduc, who aligned himself with former President Trump, followed by his lackluster fundraising and significant deficit in the polls took the race out of the spotlight. Earlier this month, both the Senate Republicans
Read MoreHouse GOP lawmakers push permanent tax cuts amid soaring inflation
House Republicans on the chief tax-writing Ways and Means Committee are seeking to make the tax cuts and adjustments enacted in the 2017 overhaul of the tax system permanent, a move economists say would stimulate the economy at the same time the Federal Reserve is trying to rein in demand against 40-year-high inflation. Ways and Means Republicans touted a proposal on Wednesday that would extend tax provisions in the Trump administration’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It would renew a 20 percent deduction for businesses, maintain a higher standard deduction and extend lowered tax r
Read MoreRepublicans sharpen knives for China with eye on House majority
House Republicans plan to put sharp scrutiny on China next year if they win the majority, including establishing a select committee to take on Beijing on a range of economic and military issues. And while much of the their agenda consists of aggressively investigating the Biden administration and pushing partisan priorities, Republicans are hopeful that work on China and the select committee will be a largely bipartisan, non-adversarial venture that has lasting impacts in tackling a generational challenge. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), a member of House Intelligence and
Read MoreCracks in US support for Ukraine risk helping Putin
Cracks are forming in what has largely been a united U.S. response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, with calls rising from the right and left for President Biden to push harder for peace talks. The push from figures ranging from former President Trump on the right to progressive leader Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) on the left has thrust questions about the Biden administration’s strategy toward Ukraine into the fore as Kyiv has seized momentum on the battlefield. Supporters of current U.S. strategy say pressuring Ukraine into negotiations now would only he
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