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The Federal Tap: National parties shuffle money around in battlegrounds
From Ballotpedia
September 28, 2018Issue No. 132
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
On September 28, 2018, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-10 along party lines to report Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Senate floor for a vote. Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, September 27, regarding an allegation by Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her in the early 1980s when the two were in high school. Kavanaugh denied the allegation. Both Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford gave prepared statements during the hearing and each member of the committee had five minutes to question Kavanaugh and Blasey Ford. She was questioned by Maricopa County Deputy Attorney Rachel Mitchell on behalf of Senate Republicans.
Tuesday, September 25
DOJ appeals federal judge’s ruling that blocked provisions of Trump’s civil service executive orders
- On September 25, the U.S. Department of Justice appealed a federal judge’s ruling that struck down several provisions of President Trump's civil service executive orders. The notice of appeal was filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
- Trump issued the executive orders in May 2018. The three orders jointly sought to strengthen discipline and removal procedures for federal employees, ensure efficient use of taxpayer-funded union time, and streamline the collective bargaining process.
- Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia struck down several provisions of President Trump's civil service executive orders in a ruling issued on August 25. The blocked provisions included components of the executive orders that Judge Jackson claimed conflicted with the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, such as limitations on the amount of taxpayer-funded time that full-time federal employees can dedicate to union activities, a reduction in the amount of time that poor-performing employees can demonstrate improvement, and certain restrictions on workplace issues that federal agencies can negotiate with unions.
- Three separate lawsuits aimed at blocking the executive orders were filed by the American Federation of Government Employees, the National Treasury Employees Union, and a coalition of 13 smaller public sector unions. The legal challenges claimed that the executive orders conflict with certain collective bargaining provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act and prevent unions from performing their statutorily-required representational duties. Judge Jackson consolidated the lawsuits in June 2018.
Two polls released in U.S. Senate race in Florida
- From September 20-24, Quinnipiac University surveyed 888 Florida likely voters and found Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson leading Gov. Rick Scott 53 - 46 percent. The margin of error was 4 percentage points. This was a change in Nelson’s favor from a September 5 Quinnipiac poll that found the race tied 49-49 percent.
- From September 16-20, a Marist Poll, sponsored and funded in partnership with NBC News, polled 600 likely voters and found Nelson leading Scott 48-45 percent. The margin of error was 4.7 percentage points.
Trump talks U.S. sovereignty in speech to United Nations General Assembly
- President Donald Trump delivered a speech at the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly that focused on his “America First” foreign policy vision. He criticized globalism and international organizations and pacts—the U.N. Human Rights Council, the International Criminal Court, the World Trade Organization, the Iran nuclear deal, and the Global Compact on Migration—and called for each nation “to pursue its own customs, beliefs, and traditions.” In return, he asked other nations to give the U.S. its sovereignty. While speaking about his administration’s decision to withdraw from the U.N. Human Rights Council and his decision to no longer provide support for the International Criminal Court, Trump said, “We will never surrender America’s sovereignty to an unelected, unaccountable, global bureaucracy. America is governed by Americans. We reject the ideology of globalism, and we embrace the doctrine of patriotism. Around the world, responsible nations must defend against threats to sovereignty not just from global governance, but also from other, new forms of coercion and domination.”
- Although he rejected many global organizations and pacts during his speech, Trump thanked world leaders for helping with regional conflicts. He thanked President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, and President Xi Jinping of China for their efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. He also thanked the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar for working with the U.S. to fight the Islamic State terror group and terrorism in the Middle East.
Thursday, September 27
National parties shuffle money around in battlegrounds
- It’s less than 40 days until the midterm elections and national party groups and satellite organizations are beginning to cut and refocus their spending in key races across the country.
- Last week, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and America First Action pulled ads in Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District in the toss-up race between Reps. Conor Lamb (D) and Keith Rothfus (R).
- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) also canceled its TV spending in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, where two recent polls have state Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D) leading incumbent U.S. Rep. Rod Blum (R) by 5 to 15 percentage points.
- This week, the pro-Democratic House Majority PAC canceled nearly $1 million in spending in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, where incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock (R) faces Jennifer Wexton (D).
- With recent polls showing incumbent Sen. Joe Manchin (D) up 8 to 12 points in West Virginia, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has cut $725,000 in ad spending for placements before the third week of October.
Friday, September 28
Trump signs second minibus spending bill
- President Donald Trump signed an $854 billion minibus spending bill that allocates funding for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. It also includes a continuing resolution (CR) to fund any unfunded federal agencies through December 7, 2018. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 93-7 on September 18, 2018. The House passed the bill by a vote of 361-61 on September 26, 2018.
- The Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act of 2019, includes increased funding for Pell Grants, the National Institutes of Health, the opioid epidemic, workforce development training, defense research, and a pay raise for members of the military, among other things.
- The bill also contains the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2019, which includes funding for unfunded agencies through December 7, 2018. Legislators chose not to address funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including Trump’s request for border wall funding, until after the midterm elections.
- It is the first time in 22 years that five spending bills—Energy and Water; Legislative Branch; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Department of Defense; and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education—were passed before the beginning of the new fiscal year.
- On September 21, 2018, Trump signed the first minibus bill. The $147 billion minibus included spending bills for military construction and veterans’ affairs, the legislative branch, and energy and water. Legislators are working on a third minibus spending bill to fund the departments of Interior, Treasury, Agriculture, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development.
Congress is in session
The Senate will be in session Monday through Friday. On Friday, House Republicans announced that they were canceling all votes for October. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said the House would reconvene on November 13, 2018.
SCOTUS is in session
The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. To learn more about this term, read our review.
WHAT'S ON TAP NEXT WEEK
Friday, October 5
Heitkamp and Cramer face off in North Dakota Senate debate
- On Friday, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D) and Kevin Cramer (R) will participate in their first debate of North Dakota's 2018 Senate race. Two more debates are scheduled for October 18 and 26.
- Heitkamp won the 2012 Senate election by 1 point. Donald Trump (R) won the 2016 presidential election by 36 points in North Dakota. In early September, Roll Call ranked Heitkamp the most vulnerable senator in the midterm elections.
- Heitkamp states that she is independent of party lines, saying she voted in favor of the president's policies 50 percent of the time. She names protecting pensions, Social Security, and Medicare as among her priorities. Cramer touts his endorsement by Trump and his vote, as U.S. representative, for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. He has criticized Heitkamp for opposing the tax bill.
- The debate will be aired on Prairie Public television and radio stations and live-streamed online. The event starts at 7 p.m. CDT on Friday.
Where was the president last week?
- On Monday, President Donald Trump attended the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. His had a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
- On Tuesday, Trump delivered a speech to the U.N. General Assembly. He also held several bilateral meetings.
- On Wednesday, Trump led a U.N. Security Council meeting on nonproliferation. He held meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. He also held a press conference.
- On Friday, Trump met with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera at the White House.
Federal Judiciary
- 142 federal judicial vacancies
- 72 pending nominations
- 25 future federal judicial vacancies
About
The Tap covered election news, public policy, and other noteworthy events from February 2016 to February 2022.
