The Hill's Morning Report — Mystery grows on objects shot down by US
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Read MoreWeaponization? Democrats gear up a response machine to GOP
As House Republicans gear up for two years of aggressive oversight of the Biden administration, Democrats have quickly stood up their own response machine, drawing resources from inside and outside Congress to push back. Democrats have to contend with a suite of Republican probes designed to touch on nearly every major aspect of the Biden presidency, from the pandemic to the border to the Afghanistan withdrawal. There’s also a new House committee set up by the GOP to review the “weaponization” of the federal government, a panel that will investigate Republica
Read MoreDemocrats look to squeeze GOP on Medicare, Social Security
Democrats are seeking to go on the offense against Republicans over past calls to slash Medicare and Social Security cuts, with President Biden leading the charge ahead of announcing his reelection campaign. Biden drew the ire of Republicans in the House chamber at his State of the Union address on Tuesday when he accused them of working to target the entitlement programs in potential spending cuts. Biden, who is preparing to launch his 2024 campaign, continued the line of attack during visits to Wisconsin and Florida this week. The choice of states is significant,
Read MoreVA urges Camp Lejeune victims to press forward with disability claims
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is urging former service members whose illnesses may be linked to contamination at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina to seek disability benefits — even if doing so might complicate future quests for legal recourse. As of the end of last month, the VA said that it had received 102,265 disability claims related to exposure to cancer-linked compounds at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune since it began tracking such submissions more than a decade ago. But for veterans who were exposed and have yet to submit claims, landmark legislation
Read MoreHouse GOP grapples with disagreement over border and immigration legislation
As House Republicans took hold of the majority this year, they had planned to quickly pass a border bill that would allow the Homeland Security Secretary to turn away migrants at the border. But the bill hit a major snag: opposition from GOP moderates. The delay and disagreement highlights the challenge for House Republican leaders in managing such a slim majority, even for bills relating to issues that drive the party’s top messages. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) in December included the Border Safety and Security Act in a
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