What to Know in Washington: Md. Senate Race Could Make History
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Millions of dollars are about to be spent on a Senate contest that became competitive when Republicans coaxed their best-known Maryland politician into the race.
Former two-term Gov. Larry Hogan (R) will take on Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in a race that could make her Maryland’s first Black senator and the fourth Black woman to serve in the Senate. Alsobrooks on Tuesday beat Rep. David Trone in the state’s Democratic primary.
Maryland hasn’t had a Republican senator in more than three decades. The retirement of Sen. Joe Manchin (D) in Republican-dominated West Virginia means that only one more GOP candidate would have to flip a Democratic-held seat for a change of majority in the Senate, so the Alsobrooks-Hogan matchup will be a priority for both parties, Zach C. Cohen reports. Read More
Over in West Virginia, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice all but clinched a seat in the Senate after winning his state’s Republican primary, the key contest in one of the nation’s most GOP-friendly states.
Justice is one of a handful of congressional candidates — including a state treasurer and a former federal prosecutor — who now can set their campaigns on cruise control after securing their nominations Tuesday.
Buoyed by early backing from former president Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Justice routed Rep. Alex Mooney and will be the heavy favorite to succeed retiring Sen. Joe Manchin, the lone statewide elected Democrat, Greg Giroux reports. Read More
BIDEN’S SCHEDULE
- The president speaks at the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the Capitol at noon.
- Biden hosts the Joint Chiefs and combatant commanders for a meeting at the White House around 4:30 p.m., followed by a dinner at 6:30 p.m.
- Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds a press briefing at 1:30 p.m.
CONGRESS’ AGENDA
- The House convenes at noon to consider several law enforcement bills.
- Senators meet at 10 a.m. to vote on nullifying a Treasury Department rule granting flexibility to use pandemic aid.
- For the full agenda read BGOV’s Congress Tracker.
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From BGOV’s Hill Reporters
Congress wants to give private jets a way to stay hidden from the public. Language tucked into sweeping aviation legislation would require the Federal Aviation Administration establish a process for private jets to request to hide their planes’ identity. House lawmakers are poised this week to clear the measure and send it to President Joe Biden for his signature.
Public tracking of private planes is in the spotlight after household names like Elon Musk and Taylor Swift criticized social media accounts documenting their jets’ travel, Lillianna Byington reports. Read More
The AI policy roadmap unveiled today by a bipartisan group of Senators aims to kick start legislative action that promotes the technology’s development and prevents its harms.
The roadmap encourages committees to craft and advance AI-related bills, but prospects for floor action so far appear dim, as bitter partisanship in Congress continues to obstruct progress on legislation. Schumer said he intends to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in the next few weeks to find a potential path forward on AI measures, Oma Seddiq reports. Read More
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Unions Must Disclose Pension Plan Finances Under GOP Proposal
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TikTok US Ban Draws Creator Lawsuit From Book Lover, Rancher
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Ship Had Multiple Power Failures Before Hitting Baltimore Bridge
The container ship that rammed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March lost power multiple times on both the day of the fatal accident and the day before, according to a preliminary report.
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
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