When the Senate returns July 13, hope for “nothing”. It’s the best we can do.
Trump’s Meeting With Senators Turns Fiery Over Iran War
The Wall Street Journal reports Trump’s Meeting With Senators Turns Fiery Over Iran War
President Trump on Wednesday engaged in a fiery clash over the Iran war with one of his top Republican critics, just hours after the president blindsided lawmakers by insisting they pass legislation to tighten voter-eligibility rules before he would sign a bill focused on lowering housing costs.
The lunch meeting with GOP senators was called to bring attention to the SAVE America Act, which Trump has deemed critical to winning the midterm elections but lacks enough support to pass. Inside the room, Trump quickly turned the conversation to Iran. Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.) shouted at each other about the war and the senator’s recent vote to rein in the president’s war powers.
Trump, who engineered Cassidy’s defeat in his primary last month, called the senator a “loser” and told him to sit down, according to people familiar with the exchange. Cassidy replied that no one tells him to sit down.
The president also ripped into Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R., Alaska) and chided Rand Paul (R. Ky.), people familiar with the matter said. The two senators voted with Cassidy, Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) and most Democrats to pass a nonbinding resolution Tuesday that would direct Trump to remove U.S. troops from hostilities against Iran. The Republican-controlled House passed the measure earlier in the month.
The contentious gathering came as Trump and GOP senators have been increasingly at odds, with the White House largely ignoring Congress for months on the Iran war and Trump targeting some veteran lawmakers for defeat over what he deemed insufficient loyalty. More recently, Trump derailed plans to extend a critical surveillance program and install a new intelligence chief.
Trump also gave Sen. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.) grief for missing the war powers vote, people familiar with the meeting said. McCormick had been on Air Force One, flying back from an event with the president in Pennsylvania, instead of at the Capitol. When Murkowski entered the meeting late, Trump quipped that he had just been saying nice things about her.
“Nice to see you, Mr. President,” Murkowski replied.
With that, the Senate had enough BS from Trump. The Senate voted unanimously for a timeout.
Please reflect on this. Unanimous includes Mike Lee and all of the other die hard SAVE act supporters.
They just voted to go home.
Timeout Called
- The Request: Senator Thune asked for unanimous consent for the Senate to stand adjourned.
- No Objections: Not a single senator—including prominent conservative holdouts—objected to the request.
- The Timeline: The chamber will be on recess and will not hold any further voting sessions until July 13.
- The Context: This recess occurs during ongoing political pressure regarding President Trump’s legislative agenda and demands on Capitol Hill.
Question for Senator Rick Scott
Here’s the answer. There are none.
The Pertinent Facts
Fools Rush In
Go for Nothing
Nothing is the best we can do.
Passing Any New Reconciliation Bill Is Difficult
To understand why, please see Trump’s Demand on SAVE Act Makes Passing Any New Reconciliation Bill Difficult
There are not enough votes for the SAVE Act, or to end the filibuster, or to get rid of Thune.
A pocket veto occurs to kill a bill when there are fewer than 10 days left in the legislative session.
Here we are discussing auto-passage if Trump does not sign in 10 “session” not calendar days.
But the clock is not running because the Bill was never formally presented to Trump.
Finally, there is another point. Trump can make recess appointments if there is a recess longer than 10 days. However, the Senate can block that by holding pro-forma sessions every three days, which they will do.
Doesn’t this mean the Housing Affordability bill that’s on his desk will die by default? Pocket veto?
It will pass by default.
A pocket veto occurs to kill a bill when there are fewer than 10 days left in the legislative session.
This is a 10-day auto passage rule.
But the clock is not running because the Bill was never formally presented to Trump.
Finally, there is another point. Trump can make recess appointments if there is a recess longer than 10 days. However, the Senate can block that by holding pro-forma sessions every three days, which they will do.