Today’s notice: The Problem Solvers say they won’t have a problem being relevant next term. The House GOP majority hopes it won’t have a problem with the chamber’s staggering death rate. And some senators have a problem accessing their Spotify Wrapped.
…The Problem Solvers Caucus Ain’t One
At least, that was the case this Congress for the House Speaker.
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Next term, Republicans in the supposedly moderate group told NOTUS, could be very different.
“It’s a new year, new energy,” Rep. Juan Ciscomani told NOTUS as he exited a Problem Solvers Caucus meeting Thursday.
In perhaps the clearest sign of the group’s reduced influence, Thursday’s meeting was the first gathering for the bipartisan caucus in over a year, after Kevin McCarthy’s ouster caused some bruised feelings among the Republicans who felt Democrats should have saved his speakership.
“We had a chance to be a stronger voice this whole year,” Rep. Don Bacon, Problem Solvers Caucus whip, said of the group. “And I feel like it was a lost opportunity.”
With a one-vote majority next Congress, however, Republicans in the Problem Solvers Caucus insisted to NOTUS that they expect to have an important voice next term. And while Republicans are already signaling big plans with a GOP trifecta, Republican moderates will be the ones reining in the party and preventing some politically fraught measures from ever coming to the floor.
“This is a very narrow majority that will require compromise,” Rep. Mike Lawler told NOTUS, “and sometimes there will be opportunities for Problem Solvers members to play a role.”
Whether the Problem Solvers Caucus uses those opportunities to help or hinder Johnson’s sophomore speakership remains to be seen. But for now, somehow, there’s a sense that there might be room for some bipartisanship in the Republican trifecta.
“The band is back together,” one Republican member of the caucus said.
To Dust You Shall Return
Everyone dies. That’s life. And it’s no different for members of Congress.
“It is not uncommon for a member of the House of Representatives to die during a session,” Molly Reynolds, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told NOTUS.
Some don’t even make it to their first vote. After being elected in 2020 and 2022, respectively, former Reps.-elect Luke Letlow and Donald McEachin both passed away before taking office. Overall, more than 1,160 sitting members and members-elect have died since the first Congress in 1789.
The concern that a member could pass away — whether from health, accident or otherwise — is particularly relevant for the 119th Congress. Republicans are set to hold the slimmest House majority in history. Accounting for President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees and Matt Gaetz’s resignation, the GOP’s control of the House sits at a slim 217-215 — a one-vote margin.
With so many deaths and resignations over the course of two years — during this Congress, four members died and eight others resigned — it’s entirely conceivable that the majority flips before the midterms.
Of course, Democrats don’t need to take the majority to functionally have control over the House. There are other, less-morbid obstacles that could prevent folks from voting. Reynolds emphasized that, in an ever-aging House of Representatives, health is always a factor.
“On any given day, you may not actually have all of those people present and voting,” Reynolds said. “So lots of issues around how these questions of member health and member age interact with Congress’ ability to get things done.”
—Ben T.N. Mause
Front Page
- DOGE’s Big Dreams Meet Congressional Reality: Other than a feel-good talk, what can the recommendation-making body actually accomplish?
- Trump Says He Likes TikTok Now. What Does That Mean for a Law That Could Ban It?: Republican lawmakers believe Trump will leave the law alone.
- Nancy Mace Is Already Eyeing a Run for Governor — Or a Senate Primary: As her district shifted to the right, so has Mace — seeking the spotlight at every opportunity.
- Assassination Attempt Task Force Concludes With Disagreement on the Path Forward: The Secret Service appears to be going through major challenges with staff turnover.
Come Fly With Me
Thanks to their respective legal entanglements, Trump and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have become ironic allies. Now, the city’s congressional representatives worry a potential pardon would put Adams in Trump’s political pocket.
“Some of the rhetoric and actual real movement that we’ve seen, in terms of Trump moving to dismiss the SDNY prosecutor, I think raises some concerning flags about any potential deference from the mayor’s office to the Trump administration,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told NOTUS’ Violet Jira.
The concern is, between its large population of undocumented citizens and its use of federal funding for housing programs, New York City is a ripe target for Trump’s threats of mass deportations and spending cuts — especially if Adams gets on board.
“I doubt that would happen, but who the hell knows,” departing Rep. Jamaal Bowman told Violet. “Unfortunately, to too many elected officials politics is a game. So, can I see a world where Trump is attempting to do this, and publicly, Adams is feigning resistance, but privately, he’s looking the other way, nodding and winking? I could see a world where that happens.”
As long as Adams doesn’t offer Trump a cheap flight to Turkey…
Just How Seriously Should One Take Trump on Tariffs?
It’s safe to say Trump’s call for a blanket 25% tariff on all goods from Canada and Mexico isn’t sitting well with many Republicans. NOTUS’ Casey Murray asked lawmakers how they felt about the policy.
Their responses were somewhere between coping and rationalizing.
“What Trump is really saying is that illegal immigration is a priority for me and for our nation and he is going to act quickly,” South Texas Rep. Monica De La Cruz told Casey.
“There’s a difference between the negotiation and the reality,” Texas Sen. John Cornyn said.
There’s a bunch of uncertainty around Trump’s tariff agenda, but a lot of members are taking him seriously, just maybe not so literally. As Casey reports, Texas businesses don’t quite have that luxury.
“Uncertainty is the enemy of investment,” said Jon Barela, CEO of the economic development group The Borderplex Alliance.
Not Us
We know NOTUS reporters can’t cover it all. Here’s some other great hits by… not us.
- Trump’s victory has some liberal judges reversing their retirement plans by Tierney Sneed at CNN
- Ron DeSantis’ political future looked bleak a year ago. Not anymore. By Gary Fineout and Kimberly Leonard at Politico
- California raw milk producer says RFK Jr. has encouraged him to apply for FDA position by Susanne Rust at the Los Angeles Times
- How One of the World’s Richest Men Is Avoiding $8 Billion in Taxes by Jesse Drucker at The New York Times
Be Social: Spotify Wrapped Edition
- Sen. John Fetterman told NOTUS’ Emily Kennard, “I don’t even know what that Wrapped thing is.” But he added that his faves are Mötley Crüe, Motörhead, Metallica and Def Leppard.
- Rep. Robert Aderholt told Torrence Banks his top artist is Alan Jackson.
- Sen. Katie Britt said her top three songs were “Graves Into Gardens,” “Sweet Home Alabama” and — “can’t make this up,” Britt said — “American Girl.” Her top artist? Riley Green from Alabama.
- The Senate’s youngest lawmaker, Sen. Jon Ossoff, told Emily that he doesn’t use Spotify. Must be an Apple Music guy…
- And Rep. Robert Garcia’s office shared with NOTUS that their boss only has eyes for Beyoncé. Seriously.
Tell Us Your Thoughts
Don’t be shy. What was your No. 1 song?
Send your thoughts to newsletters@notus.org.
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