Poll: Most California voters want to revamp state's recall process

Poll: Most California voters want to revamp state's recall process-politico:  As Gov. Gavin Newsom faces a September recall election, a majority of California likely voters would support overhauling the state's recall process to make it harder to remove elected officials mid-term, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday.

Bipartisan infrastructure deal sails through first Senate vote

Bipartisan infrastructure deal sails through first Senate vote-politico:  The Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure deal finally moved forward on Wednesday night after weeks of grueling negotiations, handing a group of centrists and President Joe Biden a major win.

Biden proposes rule to strengthen 'Buy American' requirements

Biden proposes rule to strengthen 'Buy American' requirements-thehill: President Biden announced a new proposed rule that aims to strengthen domestic supply chains for critical goods and increase the threshold for products to qualify as American-made as part of his commitment to bolstering the number of products made in the U.S.

California likely voters split on Newsom recall

California likely voters split on Newsom recall-politico:  California voters most likely to participate in the September recall election are virtually split over whether to oust Gov. Gavin Newsom from office, according to a survey released Tuesday.

Democrats expect unity on budget as they eye early August vote

Democrats expect unity on budget as they eye early August vote-rollcall:  Senate Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders said that he’s confident all 50 Democrats will support the fiscal 2022 budget resolution, the first step in the reconciliation process for enacting President Joe Biden’s economic agenda without GOP votes that he expects the Senate to consider in early August.

Biden quickly moves to avoid the down ballot carnage that plagued Obama

Biden quickly moves to avoid the down ballot carnage that plagued Obama-politico:  When Joe Biden called Terry McAuliffe to congratulate him on winning the gubernatorial primary in Virginia last month, it didn’t take long for McAuliffe to make his ask.

Delta variant sweeps through states that dialed back health powers

Delta variant sweeps through states that dialed back health powers-politico:  The Delta strain of the coronavirus is racing across the country, driving a surge of new cases and hospitalizations. But local and state officials this time have fewer options to slow the spread.

Unfinished infrastructure deal faces uncertain vote

Unfinished infrastructure deal faces uncertain vote-rollcall:  As the Senate hurtles toward what is expected to be an unsuccessful procedural vote on a mostly unwritten infrastructure measure Wednesday, bipartisan negotiators are narrowing down ways to pay for it, even as a disagreement on transit funding continues to be a sticking point.

Senior House Dem trashes Senate's bipartisan infrastructure talks

Senior House Dem trashes Senate's bipartisan infrastructure talks-politico:  A top House Democrat scorched the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure negotiations during a private call Monday, saying he hopes the talks fail 48 hours before a high-profile test vote in the upper chamber.

Strange but true: Bernie takes a 'very pragmatic' turn

Strange but true: Bernie takes a 'very pragmatic' turn-politico:  Bernie Sanders gave Washington whiplash this week — and it was all part of his plan.  Barely 24 hours after the Vermont senator publicly rejected a $3.5 trillion spending deal following a Monday meeting with President Joe Biden, he turned around to tout it as the most transformational policy proposal in nearly 100 years.

House to take up seven-bill fiscal 2022 spending package

House to take up seven-bill fiscal 2022 spending package-rollcall:  House floor action on appropriations will begin the last week before the scheduled August recess with a $617 billion package combining seven fiscal 2022 spending bills, bringing debates about federal funding for abortion, environmental policy and infrastructure to the forefront in that chamber.

Senate Democrats begin push-pull process on budget

Senate Democrats begin push-pull process on budget-rollcall:  Senate Democrats on Wednesday reacted warmly to a broad outline of a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation plan negotiated by party leaders, although progressives pushed for more spending while moderates offered some cautionary notes.

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney says it’s ‘moronic’ for conservatives to politicize the COVID vaccines

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney says it’s ‘moronic’ for conservatives to politicize the COVID vaccines-saltlaketribune:  Sen. Romney's comments come days after an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference gathering in Texas cheered that the U.S. fell short of President Joe Biden’s vaccination goal.

Senate Democrats, White House agree on $3.5 trillion budget package

Senate Democrats, White House agree on $3.5 trillion budget package-rollcall: Top Senate Democrats and White House officials reached agreement late Tuesday on an overall spending target of $3.5 trillion for a filibuster-proof budget reconciliation package that Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said will fund “every major program” President Joe Biden proposed in his economic plans.

Newsom can't label himself a Democrat on recall ballot

Newsom can't label himself a Democrat on recall ballot-politico:  Gov. Gavin Newsom will appear on recall ballots without his Democratic Party label after losing a last-minute legal fight Monday. Newsom’s team had scrambled to correct an error that will now deprive him of his party preference on ballots for the Sept. 14 recall.

Britney spurs Congress to tackle toxic conservatorships

Britney spurs Congress to tackle toxic conservatorships-politico:  The Free Britney movement has a new fan base on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers with wildly different ideologies work to help a cause once dismissed as niche.

Biden orders agencies to look at hospital consolidation, costs of drugs and hearing aids

Biden orders agencies to look at hospital consolidation costs of drugs and hearing aids-rollcall: The wide-ranging executive order President Joe Biden signed Friday includes plans to boost market competition in health care and other industries.  The order, which White House officials have promoted throughout the week, touches on issues ranging from prescription drug prices to hospital and insurance consolidation, in a combination of policy directives that also incorporates priorities shared with the Trump administration.

Biden's assault on monopolies launches Friday

Biden's assault on monopolies launches Friday-politico:  The White House is scheduled to issue an executive order Friday to promote competition throughout the U.S. economy in the most ambitious effort in generations to reduce the stranglehold of monopolies and concentrated markets in major industries.

Democrats race to push bipartisan infrastructure bill through Senate

Democrats race to push bipartisan infrastructure bill through Senate-politico:  The White House’s long sought-after bipartisan infrastructure deal could hit the Senate floor as early as the week of July 19, according to multiple House and Senate Democratic sources with knowledge of the conversations.

Biden has to erase red lines to see his agenda through

Biden has to erase red lines to see his agenda through-rollcall: Red lines are the bane of compromise, and so Democratic leaders are trying to keep their fellow partisans from drawing them. Only a forceful response from President Joe Biden will bring the party together.

Senate appropriations earmark requests start rolling in

Senate appropriations earmark requests start rolling in-rollcall: The Senate has officially kicked off its process for inserting “congressionally directed spending” into appropriations bills for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, with almost all Democrats but only 15 Republicans in that chamber participating thus far.

What’s next for proxy voting and hybrid committees?

What’s next for proxy voting and hybrid committees?-rollcall: Lawmakers are exploring what practices implemented during the pandemic could hold value for years to come and which should become relics of the age of COVID-19, particularly proxy voting and hybrid hearings.