THE LONG GAME: : Is bipartisanship over—before it really began? House to take up measure on antisemitism.
The past several weeks have been noteworthy for evidence of bipartisanship in the House—or, at least, instances where Democrats provided the bulk of ‘yes’ votes on bills brought to the floor by GOP leadership. Among these were measures to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, as well as spending bills that prevented a government shutdown. Additionally, lawmakers passed a bill compelling TikTok’s parent company to sell the app or face a potential ban in the U.S., and to extend the Section 702 surveillance program of the FISA Act prior to its expiration. Will this bipartisan trend continue? As House lawmakers return to Washington this week, one measure slated for floor action stands out for its partisan nature: a GOP-backed resolution denouncing the Biden Administration’s immigration policies. The resolution, H.R 1112, introduced by Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), alleges that the administration has “incentivized” 9.5 million migrants to come into the United States and released 6.4 million into the country. The resolution also claims that the administration has failed to deport migrants who do not qualify for political asylum and is failing to exercise its discretion to mass parole applicants. “Americans are fed up with President Biden’s broken immigration policies. The people of my district see it firsthand every day – the border crisis in our backyard,” Gonzales said when he introduced the measure earlier this month. Look for Republicans to recycle many of the talking points they employed during their attempts to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas earlier this spring.
Both parties are taking note of a rise in antisemitism, but leaders are advocating different approaches to combat it. According to Politico, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) released a letter Monday urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to call up a bipartisan measure, the Countering Antisemitism Act, that would establish a national strategy to fight bigotry targeting Jewish Americans. “The effort to crush antisemitism and hatred of any kind is not a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. It’s an American issue that must be addressed in a bipartisan manner with the fierce urgency of now,” he wrote. Among other things, the bill (H.R. 7921) would establish a National Coordinator within the White House to oversee the work of federal agencies. For their part, Republicans have called for a vote this week on the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which focuses on incidents at academic institutions.
Washington Watch is published weekly when Congress is in session. Published monthly during extended recess or adjournment.
Spotlight on Puerto Rico
Governor to press for plebiscite in D.C.
Puerto Rico’s governor is traveling to Washington, D.C. this week to urge federal lawmakers to adopt legislation calling for a plebiscite to determine the Island’s status, reports El Nuevo Dia. He will also take part in a pro-statehood lobbying effort organized by former governor Ricardo Rossello. The governor and his allies are hopeful that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on S. 3231, legislation that would set in motion a binding plebiscite where Puerto Rican voters would select among the options of statehood, independence, and sovereignty in free association with the United States. The Senate has not held a hearing on Puerto Rico’s status for more than a decade. However, the committee’s chairman, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), is insisting that a referendum first be held to determine whether Puerto Rico or Washington, D.C. should be granted statehood. Meanwhile, proponents of the legislation face an uphill battle in the House of Representatives. Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, has yet to schedule a hearing on a companion bill, H.R. 2757. He has also said that a change in status should not occur until the Financial Oversight and Management Board fulfills its objectives. In December 2022, during the closing days of the previous Congress, the House passed similar legislation, with the unanimous support of Democratic members and 16 Republicans. It was not taken up by the Senate, however.
Corrections department puts private company under review
The Puerto Rican Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has confirmed that it has hired an external firm to assess the performance of the company assigned to oversee the inmate health system. That company, Physician Correctional, is under scrutiny following the release of a convict who apparently tricked medical staff into thinking that he was suffering from a terminal illness. The agency has hired the firm, UTIcorp, at a cost of $450,000 to assess Physician Correctional's performance. UTIcorp will now review medical evidence, laboratories, and patient interventions. If any irregularities or criminal matters are uncovered by UTIcorp, they will be rereferred to the Department of Justice for further investigation. The current contract for Physician Correctional amounts to at least $45 million.
New data show economic growth, lower inflation for FY24
Birling Capital is highlighting the top Puerto Rican business and economic stories heading into mid-2024, based on newly released figures. For instance, the Puerto Rico Economic Development Bank's Economic Activity Index (EAI-EDB) showed 3.4% growth in December compared to the previous month. Birling called the results “robust” and “indicates Puerto Rico's economic health and resilience.” Additionally, it cited The Puerto Rico Planning Board’s forecast of 2.8% economic growth for fiscal year 2024. This was fueled, in part, by a 21.2% increase in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program funds, amounting to $1.8 billion. Inflation on the Island is expected to “stabilize” at 2%, compared to 3.3% in the previous fiscal year.
President Biden wins Puerto Rico primary
President Biden was the winner of the Democratic presidential primary in Puerto Rico, which was held Sunday. He was the choice of 91 percent of voters. Although Puerto Rico residents not participate in the general election, they do help determine the nominees of the two parties. Fifty-five delegates to the DNC convention were up for grabs Sunday. Former president Donald Trump won the Republican primary held in Puerto Rico earlier this month, winning 24 delegates to the Republican nominating convention. Democrats will meet in Chicago in August to nominate Biden. Republicans will gather in Milwaukee.
View From The White House
The Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday the Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board, a 22-member advisory panel that will study how to protect critical infrastructure from risks associated with artificial intelligence.
Under rules released last week by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Biden administration reinstated protections for LGBTQ+ people seeking health care services that had been eliminated by former president Donald Trump.
In a statement released Friday, the Biden administration said that it will take “significantly more time” to reach a decision on whether to call for a ban on menthol cigarettes.
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