What to Know in Washington: Biden to Speak at Holocaust Memorial

President Joe Biden plans to denounce antisemitism at college campus protests against Israel during an annual Holocaust commemoration, directly taking on demonstrations that threaten to fracture his political coalition.

He’ll also recount the atrocities of Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel as the deadliest attack on Jews since the Nazi campaign to exterminate the Jews of Europe, and say too many people are downplaying both events, according to a White House official who previewed his remarks.

Photographer: Nathan Howard/Bloomberg

President Joe Biden speaks at the Capitol.

Today’s speech highlights the political dilemma facing Biden at the seven-month mark of Israel’s war in Gaza, which has exposed divisions within the Democratic Party that could hurt his chances of winning the November election.

Many of the pro-Palestinian demonstrators are the type of people — young, progressive, and educated — Biden’s campaign must attract in order to win reelection. Biden’s campaign aides have downplayed the notion the protests carry major risks for the president, saying polling data shows that while young people support an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, they do not rank the conflict high on lists of issues important to them, Jordan Fabian reports. Read More

BIDEN’S SCHEDULE

• The president will deliver a keynote around 11:30 a.m. at the Holocaust Museum’s Annual Days of Remembrance ceremony at the Capitol.
• Biden will host the President Klaus Iohannis of Romania for a meeting around 1:30 p.m.
• Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will hold a briefing around 2 p.m.

CONGRESS’ AGENDA

• The House meets at noon to vote on overriding a presidential veto.
• Senators reconvene at 3 p.m. to vote on confirming Donna Welton to be ambassador to East Timor.
• For the full detailed agenda, read BGOV’s Congress Tracker

From BGOV’s Hill Reporters

SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON is asking for a Senate vote to increase pilot retirement age to 67, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg Government, Lillianna Byington reports.

• Johnson (R-La.) sent the letter, dated May 2, to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) supporting a Senate vote on a measure that would be attached to sweeping aviation legislation poised for consideration by both chambers this week.
• Supporters of the retirement age effort say it will ease concerns of a nationwide pilot shortage. Labor groups such as the Air Line Pilots Association have been lobbying against a boost to the age, which created division among some pilots who are pushing lawmakers to support the measure. Read More

JULIE SU has been subpoenaed over the Labor Department’s return-to-office plan by the chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Diego Areas Munhoz reports.

• Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) is compelling the acting labor secretary to provide the panel with the department’s plan to increase workers’ in-person attendance. Read More

Also Happening on the Hill

House Republicans Seek to Hold DOJ’s Garland in Contempt: NBC

The House Judiciary Committee is preparing to advance a resolution to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress for not handing over audio of President Biden’s interview with former Special Counsel Robert Hur, NBC News reports, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Defense and Foreign Affairs

Sen. ELIZABETH WARREN urged the Pentagon to rein in the use of Starlink in Russia and other unauthorized regions, saying the SpaceX-owned satellite business poses a “serious national security threat” to the US and its allies.

• “SpaceX must make every attempt to ensure its Starlink devices and service are obtained and operated in full compliance with US law—but reports suggest it may not be doing so effectively,” Warren (D-Mass.) said. Read More
• American Detained: A US soldier was detained in eastern Russia on “charges of criminal misconduct,” the US Army said Monday, a potential new flashpoint in relations between the nations already at a low. Read More

ISRAEL’s war Cabinet unanimously rejected a cease-fire proposal for Gaza that was backed by Hamas, calling it “far from Israel’s necessary demands,” dashing hopes for an immediate pause in the fighting.

• Israel vowed to continue “its operation in Rafah to exert military pressure on Hamas” but also said it’ll send a delegation to meet with mediators “to exhaust the possibility of reaching an agreement.” Read More
• Israeli troops took control of the Rafah border-crossing area in Gaza this morning, with Hamas saying all aid flows from Egypt had stopped. Read More

Campus Protester Arrests Draw Labor Charges as Unions Cry Foul

Unions representing students at universities roiled by campus protests related to the Israel-Hamas war are starting to file unfair labor practice charges over the educational institutions’ response to the unrest.

People, Power, and Politics

Illinois Governor J.B. PRITZKER said Milwaukee’s and Chicago’s police departments will do a officer swap to increase presence in both cities during their respective political conventions this summer.

• “The Chicago Police are going to help at the Milwaukee Republican Convention this year, and the Milwaukee Police are coming to help us for our Democratic Convention here in Chicago,” Pritzker (D) told Bloomberg TV. Read More

Trump Jury Shown Check After Check He Signed to Repay Cohen

Check after check after check was displayed on screens for a New York jury on Monday carrying Donald Trump’s distinctive signature scrawled with a black sharpie.

Coal Tycoon, Wine Mogul Host Trump Fundraiser in Horse Country

Joe Craftof Alliance Resource Partners LP, his wife, former Ambassador Kelly Craft, and Jackson Family Wines’s Barbara Banke will host a fundraiser for Donald Trump this month as the presumptive Republican nominee seeks to build his campaign war chest even as legal fees and criminal trials hinder its operations.

Trump Media New Auditor Pick Catapults Obscure Arizona Firm

Semple, Marchal & Cooper LLP, a small Phoenix-based accounting firm, just landed a client that’s bigger by far than all its other audit clients combined: Trump Media & Technology Group Corp.

What Else We’re Reading

Boeing’s Latest Probe Deepens Manufacturing Crisis of Confidence

Boeing Co. has been in crisis mode ever since the near-catastrophic accident on a 737 Max 9 in early January — and there’s little sign it’s catching a break anytime soon as the next investigation looms — this time involving the flagship 787 Dreamliner model.

Boeing Starliner Launch Is Delayed Due to Issue With Rocket

The historic first crewed mission of Boeing Co.’s Starliner space capsule was delayed hours before launch due to a technical problem with the rocket meant to carry the craft to orbit.

Tesla Autopilot Probe Escalates With US Regulator’s Data Demands

Tesla Inc. is facing a July 1 deadline to furnish US regulators with information about its biggest-ever recall because drivers using Autopilot keep crashing while using the system.

US, Chinese Climate Negotiators Meeting on Greenhouse Gas Curbs

Climate negotiators from the world’s top two greenhouse gas emitters are set to meet this week in Washington for talks on curbing potent planet-warming pollutants, promoting energy efficiency and other issues.

Abortion Pill Cases Test Whether FDA Rules Preempt State Limits

A federal appeals court must weigh how far FDA abortion pill regulations go in preempting state laws regulating the practice of medicine—a largely untested area that legal analysts say will shape abortion access.

Permitting Rule’s Promise of Speedy Reviews Met With Skepticism

The White House’s latest bid to speed up environmental permitting may not encourage the promised waves of private investment because the path forward for project reviews is still so uncertain, some permitting watchers say.

CFPB Hits Student Loan Investors, Servicers for Relief Failures

A major student loan servicer and a student loan investment trust agreed to pay more than $5 million to resolve claims they mishandled requests for payment relief, including forbearance programs mandated by a federal pandemic aid law.

FDIC’s Workplace Probe Concludes With Call for Major Changes

A probe into the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.’s workplace found credible allegations of a toxic environment for bank examiners and that the agency’s culture needs an overhaul, according to four people with direct knowledge of the findings.

To contact the reporters on this story: Brandon Lee in Washington at blee@bgov.com; Jeannie Baumann in Washington at jbaumann@bloombergindustry.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Kayla Sharpe at ksharpe@bloombergindustry.com; Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com