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

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Maryland Democratic candidate for Senate and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks high fives with Ryan Cunningham’s son outside a voting location Tuesday in Silver Spring, Md.

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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RFK Jr.’s Appeal of Anti-Vax YouTube Bans Faces Doubtful Judges

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday faced a skeptical panel of judges tasked with determining whether the independent presidential candidate can require YouTube to restore his videos that violated the platform’s policies against vaccine misinformation.

Cohen Says Trump Knew Checks Were for Hush-Money Not Legal Work

Michael Cohen came under a plodding cross-examination Tuesday by Donald Trump’s lawyer, who sought to undermine his earlier testimony that he participated in a hush money scheme to help the former president influence the 2016 election.

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

Al Drago/Bloomberg Finance LP
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks while joined by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) Todd Young (R-Ind.) in September.

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

More Happening on the Hill

Schumer’s AI Plan Urges Billions in Spending to Challenge China

The US needs to shield Americans from the risks posed by artificial intelligence while promoting the emerging technology with at least $32 billion in annual government spending to stay ahead of rivals like China, according to a highly anticipated policy blueprint from a bipartisan group of senators.

Warren Demands New Review of Big Accounting-to-US Revolving Door

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) blasted a recent report from a Treasury Department watchdog on a so-called revolving door between the Big Four and other top accounting firms and the government, demanding a retraction and a new review.

Unions Must Disclose Pension Plan Finances Under GOP Proposal

A key Republican senator is proposing legislation that would require unions to reveal the financial stability of their pension funds when trying to convince workers to join.

What Else We’re Watching

US Considers Sending Ukraine Another Patriot Missile Battery

The Biden administration is working to send an additional Patriot air-defense battery to Ukraine, people familiar with the matter said, as the US and its allies scramble to meet the country’s demand for more weapons to repel an intensified Russian assault.

Eugene Scalia Leads Business’ Fight to Block Agency Rulemaking

Eugene Scalia has become the face of big business’ fight to rein in what it sees as government overreach under President Joe Biden.

Yellen Says China Tariffs Won’t Cause Meaningful US Price Hikes

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said new tariffs on Chinese goods would protect US firms and workers without stinging the pocketbooks of American consumers.

US Inflation Data to Show Small Step in Right Direction for Fed

Forecasters expect a monthly report on US consumer prices to show inflationary pressures moderated in April after three straight worse-than-anticipated readings to start the year.

US Cites Threat of Chinese EVs Made in Mexico as Trade Concern

The Biden administration is watching for any attempts by Chinese companies to export cars from Mexico into the US, and considering ways to block them if they seek to circumvent tariffs targeting electric vehicles made in China, his top trade negotiator said.

Real Estate Billionaire Frank McCourt Readying US TikTok Bid

Frank McCourt, a real estate billionaire with ambitions to improve the web, said he plans to build a consortium to bid for social media app TikTok’s US business.

TikTok US Ban Draws Creator Lawsuit From Book Lover, Rancher

A group of TikTok creators followed the company’s lead and filed their own lawsuit to block the US law that would force Chinese parent ByteDance to divest itself of the popular video app by January or face a ban. Eight creators behind Tuesday’s suit are challenging an ultimatum by the US meant to address national security concerns that the Chinese government could access user data or influence what’s seen on the platform.

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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