JT TAYLOR | Capital Brief and Geopolitical Call Tomorrow

ON THE SENATE FLOOR: The Senate will continue to consider nominations this week and could also take procedural votes on three House-passed measures that may not have enough support to overcome Republican opposition. The bills would provide $28 million in emergency funding for the FDA to address the baby formula shortage; set up federal domestic terrorism offices; and address high gasoline prices.

IN THE HOUSE:  No floor votes will be held this week, but various committees will hold hearings Tuesday through Thursday. Both the House and Senate are out of session next week for the Memorial Day recess.

U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (USICA):  As negotiators begin their work to find a compromise between the Senate’s USICA legislation and the House’s COMPETES measure, the resulting legislation is now being referred to as the Bipartisan Innovation Act. A timeline sketched out by House and Senate leaders envisions a final conference report emerging by June 21. Many observers believe this may be an overly optimistic schedule to resolve differences between the two measures that are designed to boost U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace.

COMMITTEE ACTION OF NOTE:

• Tuesday, May 24:
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2023 for the Forest Service.
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Hearing: Strengthening our Communications Networks: Legislation to Connect and Protect.
• House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Hearing: Climate Smart from Farm to Fork: Building an Affordable and Resilient Food Supply Chain.
• House Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion Hearing: Diversity Includes Disability: Exploring Inequities in Financial Services for Persons with Disabilities, Including Those Newly Disabled Due to Long-Term COVID. 

• Wednesday, May 25:
• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Hearing to examine the nomination of Joseph Goffman to be an Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2023 for the Department of the Interior.
• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Executive Session to consider several pieces of legislation including S. 4217 Transportation Fuel Market Transparency Act, S. 4246 Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act, among others.
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Hearing: Formula Safety and Supply: Protecting the Health of America's Babies.
• House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance Hearing: Reauthorization and Reform of the National Flood Insurance Program.
• House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Hearing: Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
• Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government Hearing to examine proposed budget estimates and justification for fiscal year 2023 for the Treasury Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence and the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
• House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Hearing: The Infant Formula Crisis.
• Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Hearing to examine the Department of Agriculture's Rural Housing Service.
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power Legislative Hearing on various bills.
• Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness Hearing: Supply Chain Resiliency: Alleviating Backlogs and Strengthening Long-Term Security. 

• Thursday, May 26:
• House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce Legislative Hearing to Protect Consumers and Strengthen the Economy.
• House Financial Services Committee Hearing: Digital Assets and the Future of Finance: Examining the Benefits and Risks of a U.S. Central Bank Digital Currency.
• House Appropriations Subcommittee on Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Hearing: Manufactured Housing: Supporting America’s Largest Unsubsidized Affordable Housing Stock.

POLITICS: 

Today’s Elections: Voters will head to the polls in five states, with primaries in Georgia, Alabama, and Arkansas; runoffs in Texas; and a special election primary in Minnesota.

Georgia:  Former football star Herschel Walker is leading the Republican Senate primary race, but the five other candidates are hoping to hold him to less than 50% of the vote, forcing a June 21 runoff between the top two vote-getters. The winner of the Republican race will likely face Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, who does not have a serious primary challenge.  

On the House side, redistricting has created a newly redrawn 7th District outside Atlanta and forced two incumbents, Democratic Reps. Lucy McBath and Carolyn Bourdeaux, to face each other.  In the 13th District, House Agriculture Chairman David Scott (D) is facing a challenge from his left.  In the 14th District, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R) has five primary opponents and is hoping to avoid a runoff. 

The Republican primary for governor has also drawn national attention, pitting incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp against former Senator David Perdue, with Kemp leading comfortably in the latest polls.  The winner will face Stacey Abrams, who lost to Kemp in the 2018 gubernatorial race. 

Alabama: In the race to replace retiring Republican Senator Richard Shelby, the Republican primary is expected to go to a runoff. The leading candidates are Katie Boyd Britt, Shelby’s former chief of staff and the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama; Mike Durant, an aerospace company owner; and Rep. Mo Brooks. If no candidate garners more than 50% of the vote, the runoff will be on June 21. The winner is expected to keep the seat in the Republican column. 

Arkansas: Republican Senator John Boozman leads his challengers, including former NFL player Jake Bequette, but if no candidate secures over 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff on June 21.  In the governor’s race, former Trump press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is expected to win the Republican nod and the general election in November. 

Texas Primary Runoffs:  After the March 1 primaries, runoffs were needed in several Congressional races. The race that has drawn the most attention is in the 28^th District, which runs from San Antonio to the Mexican border. The Democratic runoff pits centrist Rep. Henry Cuellar against progressive Jessica Cisneros, an immigration attorney.  Another race of note is taking place about 300 miles to the north, in the 30^th District of the Dallas area. In the Democratic primary to replace retiring Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D), progressive State Rep. Jasmine Crockett and centrist Jane Hope Hamilton will face each other. 

Minnesota Special Election:  Todday’s special election primary in the 1^st Congressional District will choose the party candidates for an August 9 election to replace Republican Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died in February. On the Republican side, the top three candidates include Jennifer Carnahan, Hagedorn’s widow and former state chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota; state Rep. Jeremy Munson; and former state Rep. Brad Finstad. On the Democratic side, the party has endorsed former Hormel Foods CEO Jeffrey Ettinger, but he is competing against University of Minnesota law professor Richard Painter, among others. 

 

With Russia claiming to have captured Mariupol in what would be its biggest victory yet in its war with Ukraine and President Zelensky facing an extremely difficult situation in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine - the US and its allies are preparing for an extended conflict with $40 billion of aid approved late last week. Join me again with our geopolitical advisor Col. Jeff McCausland, the former Dean of the U.S. Army War College, as we continue our assessment and outlook for the escalating crisis, Putin's expected next steps as well as new geopolitical factors and developments with NATO as Finland and Sweden look to join the coalition in the coming weeks. ***Please submit your questions in advance*** WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2022 AT 12:30PM CLICK HERE for event details (includes video and materials link). About Dr. Jeffrey McCausland Dr. McCausland is a retired U.S. Army Colonel who formally served as the Dean of Academics at the U.S. Army War College. During his time in the military he commanded a battalion in combat during the Gulf War in 1990 and 1991. He also served on the National Security Council staff in the White House during the Kosovo crisis. He currently serves as a national security consultant for CBS radio and television. He routinely does analysis for CBS on issues such as Iraq, European security, arms control, or related questions of national security policy. He is currently involved in a project for the National Nuclear Security Administration focused on nuclear weapons in South Asia and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Dr. McCausland is also the founder and CEO of Diamond6 Leadership and Strategy, LLC. Diamond6 conducts executive leadership workshops for corporate, public, and non-profit leadership teams across the United States. He recently published a new book, Battle Tested! Gettysburg Leadership Lessons for 21st Century Leaders.

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