Heather Caygle
@heatherscope
Managing Editor @punchbowlnews. Roll Tide 🐘
News: Rep. Mike Flood was unanimously elected as next chair of Main Street Caucus tonight at their internal meeting, per a source familiar.
Just to put this in context. The House Rules Committee needs to report a rule so the speaker can put bills on the floor. The rules committee is paralyzed because of how the speaker is dealing with the Epstein issue. So the House can’t do anything of substance this week.
NEWS — RALPH NORMAN, hardline conservative on the House Rules Committee, says the panel will not report a rule this week for bills, effectively shutting down the house floor. Why? He doesn’t want to vote on Democrats’ Epstein amendments. He says it’s grandstanding.
Massie on Johnson’s handling of this issue: “He’s terrified. 80% of MAGA, want these files released, they were promised this, they expected this, and it's not happening. but at the same time, he feels an allegiance to President Trump whose gone against the MAGA base on this.”
Massie says he will bring up Epstein Files resolution after August recess and believes momentum will build stronger when members are out:
If you’re not reading The Readback on Saturdays, you’re really missing out. Such a good behind-the-scenes, notebook deep dive of the week that was on Capitol Hill. Plus, the headlines. How can you compete with this @BrendanPedersen one?!? punchbowl.news/archive/72025-…
Among the people fired from the State Department: the entire staff of the office assisting families of employees who die overseas, sources told CNN More on the cuts & reorganization- and its impact - from me, @kylieatwood & @AnnieGrayerCNN cnn.com/2025/07/17/pol…
News: GOP senators were told at lunch that there are *no* Friday votes. Senators will have a 5-vote series starting now-ish and resume on Monday.
Also: With most vote-a-ramas, the Senate leaves town for the week immediately after. But this time the Senate is staying through tomorrow and likely at least part of Friday to vote on nominations. There are also committee meetings scheduled for as early as 9:30 tomorrow morning
NOW: The Senate Appropriations Committee just voted to undo an amendment that would've required the new FBI HQ to be built in Maryland. Some Dems are now switching their votes on the overall CJS bill to No. R's who were No previously are now changing their votes to Yes.
Really fun to join the @CapitolCNCT team to share insight into the best Hill team in the business @PunchbowlNews
Behind-the-scenes at Punchbowl News, covering the Hill, the ins and outs of newsletter writing, and some political speculation. Heather Caygle, Managing Editor at @PunchbowlNews, takes the spotlight. 🔗 capitolcnct.com/cs-heather-cay…
Murkowski, speaking now on the FBI HQ issue, noted that she put the "bi in bipartisan" in supporting Chris Van Hollen's amendment last week. The measure would have required the FBI to build a new HQ in Md. Murkowski now voting to strike that, which will allow the bill to move.
The $9 billion rescissions package is on its way to passage, but we can expect more rescissions to come. OMB Director Russ Vought told reporters this morning another package is likely and likely to come soon. No details yet though.
Speaker JOHNSON on this bit of history: “I will say again - I am tired of making history, I just want normal Congress. But some people have forgotten what that looks like. But as long as we get it done, it doesn’t matter to me how long a vote is held open. We just got to get the…
This is now the longest vote in House history at more than 7 hours, 20-plus minutes. Congratulations to everyone for pulling together & breaking the record!!!
Down to 8 R no’s as vote passes the nine-hour mark. More switches coming
HFC Chair HARRIS has flipped back to a yes on the crypto rule
Cole exits the Speaker's office sounding more than a little peeved. "We're going to wait for a while longer, and if we don't hear anything, then we're headed home" Are we going back to rules tonight? "I'm doing whatever my leadership wants me to do."
Reps. Cole (R-Okla), Diaz Balart (R-Fla) and Calvert (R-Calif) just entered the Speakers office. All are on the House Appropriations Committee Cole told reporters he would like to see the defense approps move separately...
Inside House Republicans' crypto disaster in @PunchbowlNews PM. Plus, Hawley talks bipartisan AI bills: punchbowl.news/archive/71625-…
BURCHETT also says he thinks deal “getting a little closer” But, “if we can go a little slower, we can get there a little faster. We need to just make sure nobody feels like they’re getting run over — me included” Says rule vote expected to stay open for now
BURCHETT says members have been advised by leadership to “hang around a little bit longer” (MTG walked back to her office) He says Financial Services Cmte members were upset they weren’t involved in WH discussion last night Strongest push right now is adding CBDC to NDAA
House Financial Services, Ag members and HFC/conservatives will all be respectively huddling tonight as the House remains at a stalemate. Different groups are trying to work out a pathway to pass the rule as procedural vote on crypto bills remains open for hours.
BURCHETT says members have been advised by leadership to “hang around a little bit longer” (MTG walked back to her office) He says Financial Services Cmte members were upset they weren’t involved in WH discussion last night Strongest push right now is adding CBDC to NDAA
AND no surprise to anyone...CHIP ROY and KEITH SELF have both flipped to yes. Have you seen this movie before?
MTG has switched her vote. The fold is beginning!
what a huddle in the middle of the chamber. Byron Donalds, Chip Roy, MTG, Johnson. Aides waiting in the wings. MTG and Roy are nos on the motion.