Senate Republicans Target Regulation: What to Know in Washington

Senate Republicans want Congress to reclaim its authority to influence how laws are carried out , and they’re wasting no time seizing an opportunity the Supreme Court handed them. But first, you should know:

• Elon Musk pitched himself for a role to cut federal spending if Trump were to win in November.
• Democrats are looking to rally Jewish voters, a traditionally left-leaning group disheartened by a rise in antisemitic incidents and backlash from pro-Palestinian protesters.

Senate Republicans Prepare Assault on Regulations

Republicans are taking the best shot they’ve had in 40 years at dismantling government regulations thanks to the Supreme Court.

The Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo ruling earlier this summer upended the way laws passed by Congress are implemented, dismantling the legal doctrine under which courts deferred to federal agencies when interpreting unclear laws. Republicans in Congress cheered the decision, and wasted no time since overwhelming agencies with inquiries on the ruling’s effect on their work.

Senate Republicans went a step further, forming a working group last month to examine how Congress should limit agency power and roll back regulations underpinned by the Chevron doctrine, with the ultimate aim of giving Congress more say in how laws are carried out. 18 GOP senators signed on, and staff from members’ offices and the Judiciary Committee are organizing subgroups and written to over 100 agencies quizzing the fallout of the decision in their ongoing rulemaking, civil enforcement actions, and adjudications.

They plan to propose more than a dozen bills to cement the relationship between the three branches of government in a post-Chevron world, according to aides to Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), who’s leading the group. “We certainly want to lead the effort on structural reform,” Schmitt said. “We want make sure that this is real victory for the Article One branch and for the people.”

Opportunities and Setbacks: Possibilities include creating a separate regulatory office on Capitol Hill and expanding the statutory exceptions to the filibuster for agency rules, they said. However, lawmakers also said Congress needs to attract staff with the expertise to craft more specific laws as that responsibility moves from the executive branch to Capitol Hill. Read More

Photographer: Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) ,is pursuing many of the same conservative goals in Congress as he did as a state official.

BGOV at the DNC: BGOV’s Congress Tracker crew is heading to Chicago for next week’s Democratic National Convention and covering the event via a special edition Convention Tracker newsletter. Send your tips to Maeve Sheehey ( msheehey@bloombergindustry.com ), Jonathan Tamari ( jtamari@bloombergindustry.com ), and Angela Greiling Keane ( agreilingkeane@bloombergindustry.com ).

BIDEN’S SCHEDULE

• 4:30 p.m. — President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will participate in a tour and deliver remarks at a cancer moonshot event at Tulane University.

HARRIS’ SCHEDULE

• The vice president has no public events.

Musk Pitches Role for Himself in Second Trump White House

Elon Musk pitched a role for himself cutting federal spending in a second Donald Trump administration during a conversation livestreamed on the tech mogul’s X platform, calling for a government commission to ensure that taxpayer money is spent effectively.

• “I’d be happy to help out on such a commission — I’d love if it were formed,” Musk said. Trump praised the idea, calling Musk “the greatest cutter.”

The highly anticipated discussion started roughly 40 minutes late and stretched more than two hours once it got underway. Musk blamed the delay on a cyber attack, without providing any evidence, and when the event started Musk suggested Trump’s opponents were responsible.

Trump and Musk’s conversation comes at a critical point in the 2024 race, with less than three months to Election Day. Harris’ ascent to the top of the Democratic ticket has shaken up the race with polls showing she has erased the lead Trump held for much of the summer and with the vice president pulling ahead in fundraising. Read More

People, Power, and Politics

What Harris Would Mean for Business and the Economy

The wheels of Air Force Two touched down in Georgia, and the latest Kamala Harris era began. The vice president drew a bigger crowd than President Joe Biden had gotten all year—a show of strength in the South, in a state Harris thrust back into play. This was her moment.

Democrats Aim to Woo Jewish Voters Alienated by Protests

Democratic politicians are kickstarting an effort to turn out progressive Jewish voters for Kamala Harris. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker are among at least a dozen lawmakers who will headline an Aug. 19 launch event for an advocacy group seeking to engage progressive, pro-Israel voters, according to a spokesperson.

Musk Pitches EVs to Fans of Trump, Who Haven’t Been Buying

Donald Trump used a long-ranging conversation with billionaire donor Elon Musk on Monday night to urge the Tesla Inc. chief executive officer’s followers to vote for the Republican presidential candidate. But Musk also had a more subtle message for Trump supporters: stop demonizing EVs.

Pro-Trump PAC Plans $100 Million Ad Blitz as Harris Gains Steam

A super political action committee backing Republican Donald Trump plans to spend $100 million on advertising between now and Labor Day in seven swing states in what polls show is a newly competitive race against Vice President Kamala Harris.

Freedom Caucus: Stopgap Should Only Extend Funding to Early 2025

The House Freedom Caucus urged Congress to continue work on passing appropriations bills, and if unsuccessful, the group said government funding should be extended only into early 2025 by continuing resolution, according to a post on X.

Democrats Press Insurance Regulators to Integrate Climate Risks

Three congressional Democrats pushed state-level insurance regulators to show how they’re implementing recommendations from the Treasury Department to integrate climate-change risk into insurance standards.

Gottheimer Calls for Rail Riders to Be Reimbursed for Delays

A US Representative wants New Jersey Transit riders to be reimbursed if they experience long delays due to Amtrak service disruptions after commuters in the New York City region this summer were left stranded on trains and platforms for hours.

Biden Invests $100 Million to Fuel More Housing Production

The White House is announcing $100 million in grants to state and local governments to spur the construction of new housing, one of a host of new administrative actions to boost housing supply.

FBI Is Investigating Hack of Trump Campaign, NBC News Says

The FBI says it is conducting a criminal investigation of the hacking attack against Donald Trump’s campaign, NBC News reporter Ken Dilanian says in a post on X.

Trump Says Plans Return to Butler, Area of Shooting, in October

Former President Donald Trump says he’s planning to go to Butler, Pa. in October, which would mark a return to the area where he was shot during a campaign rally in July.

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US Budget Deficit Hits $1.5 Trillion as Fiscal Year Nears End

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AI Poses Job Threats While State Lawmakers Move With Caution

Lawmakers around the country have taken few steps to stem job losses caused by artificial intelligence, despite widespread concerns about AI-related displacement in the workforce.

To contact the reporters on this story: Giuseppe Macri in Washington at gmacri@bgov.com; Jeannie Baumann in Washington at jbaumann@bloombergindustry.com

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Kayla Sharpe at ksharpe@bloombergindustry.com