Capitol Hill on Thursday will be rife with action on ethics reports, DOGE, the assassination attempts against President-elect Donald Trump and the embattled nomination of Pete Hegseth to lead the Pentagon, among other topics.
What’s on tap?
DOGE VIPs: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are due to huddle with congressional Republicans in the afternoon as they ramp up ideas for their so-called Department of Government Efficiency, aimed at massively slashing government spending. Ideas have been as varied as cutting the independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and ending daylight saving time.
Trump attempted assassinations review: The special task force set up to probe the two attempted assassinations of Trump will meet at 9:30 a.m. for its final hearing. The star witness will be U.S. Secret Service Acting Director Ronald L. Rowe Jr. There will be a business meeting after the hearing to consider the final report.
Hegseth marches on: His odds of confirmation are looking shaky at best, but Pentagon nominee Pete Hegseth will continue meeting with senators on Thursday. He got some good news late Wednesday when Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said “I see no reason not to be supportive of him” following a meeting, though he cautioned “we’ll see what else happens.” Hegseth is facing allegations of sexual misconduct and problematic drinking, which he has dismissed as smears meant to damage his nomination.
Ethics report watch: There will be multiple possible paths for the release of an ethics report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Trump’s onetime pick to be attorney general. The House Ethics Committee itself will convene to mull releasing its work once again — they opted against doing so in late November. Then, there could be floor action on two resolutions — one from Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and another from Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) — to compel the release of investigative materials, though Republicans are expected to table them, citing the fact Gaetz is no longer a member of Congress.
Two other legislative developments worthy of attention:
- Disaster funding opposition: The House Freedom Caucus came out against attaching disaster funding to any short-term government funding bill unless it is “what is absolutely necessary right now” and offset. The practical implications: Speaker Mike Johnson will likely have to rely on hefty Democratic support for the eventual bill and place it on the suspension calendar, which would require the support of two-thirds of the chamber for passage.
- Disaster tax relief bill: The Senate passed a bill by voice vote late Wednesday that would provide tax relief to those impacted by wildfires, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. The measure had already passed the House, so it now heads to President Joe Biden for his signature. “I applaud the Senate for putting this relief within arms reach for Floridians — we’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in Floridians’ pockets thanks to my legislation,” lead sponsor Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) said in a statement.
