MORNING MESSAGE
Police
violence against unarmed African Americans occurs against a too-often-ignored
backdrop of economic disparity that both fuels and informs the resentments and
racial tensions behind the events ... Thirty years of Republican policies led to
the economic abandonment of black communities. The remnants and results inform
the mistrust and resentment between predominantly white police forces and
African-American communities in cities all over the country ... In 2009,
McKinney settled a large housing discrimination lawsuit, alleging that the city
was blocking the development of affordable housing for tenants with Section 8
vouchers, in the whiter, more affluent west side of the city ...
Fast Track Vote Friday?
GOP
aiming for Friday vote, but nothing is firm. Politico: “Senior aides and
lawmakers in GOP leadership are intent on scheduling the vote at the moment they
believe they have the votes locked up — ideally by Friday, to spare supportive
lawmakers the possibility of another weekend of attacks by trade foes back in
their districts … Still, the state of play remains fluid, GOP lawmakers and
aides cautioned, and there’s a chance the vote will slide into next week.”
Medicare
offset for Trade Adjustment Assistance “a last-minute sticking point.”
Politico: “Pelosi privately pressed Boehner to drop a proposal, already
passed by the Senate, that would prolong a cap on Medicare spending to pay for
TAA. But late Tuesday night, the two sides appeared to be in agreement. The
measure will now be offset by increasing penalties on companies that file
incorrect 1099 tax returns, and by stepping up enforcement of fraudulent
higher-education tax credit claims.”
Some
holdouts angling for concessions. The Hill: “Some members may be genuinely
undecided, while others may want to keep their heads down to avoid the ire of
whichever side they are disappointing. And others might want to see what they
can get. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) on Tuesday said her support is contingent on
whether the House includes language in the trade package that would help steel
producers in her district … Another undecided member, Rep. Collin Peterson
(D-Minn.), has repeatedly said he has gripes about how trade policy gives an
edge to Canadian poultry and dairy producers.”
GOP Spending Bills Face Filibuster
GOP
ignores filibuster threat on spending bills to keep government open.
Politico: “Their reaction suggests the GOP is in no mood to negotiate, at
least not yet, making it increasingly likely that senators will spend weeks,
perhaps even months, working on appropriations legislation that has little
chance of becoming law … McConnell in the coming days plans to call up a massive
defense spending bill, daring Democrats to vote against money supporting troops
…”
And
rejects bipartisan “budget summit.” The Hill: “McConnell’s dismissal creates
a fiscal standoff in the Senate months earlier than expected over whether
spending limits, known as the sequester, should be lifted … Democrats have
warned that they will block the Senate from taking up the annual defense
spending bill unless the GOP agrees to lift the sequester on both defense and
nondefense spending.”
WH, GOP Duel Over Climate
WH
prepares slew of climate policies for summer. WSJ: “The Environmental
Protection Agency is expected to announce as soon as Wednesday plans to regulate
carbon emissions from airlines, and soon after that, draft rules to cut carbon
emissions from big trucks … In the coming weeks, the EPA is also expected to
unveil rules aimed at reducing emissions of methane—a potent greenhouse gas—from
oil and natural-gas operations. And in August, the agency will complete a suite
of three regulations lowering carbon from the nation’s power plants…”
And
lays groundwork for international accord in December. WSJ: “Mr. Obama and
the other leaders of the world’s largest industrialized democracies emerged from
two days of meetings in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps with consensus that
greenhouse-gas emissions should be reduced by as much as 70% by 2050 … Obama
departed Germany having moved one step closer to finalizing the global climate
pact that sits high on his agenda.”
While
GOP plans climate counterattack. The Hill: “Legislation coming before the
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday would effectively
block the EPA’s latest proposal, a rule defining which waterways it can regulate
… The House Appropriations Committee released an Interior and Environment
spending bill Tuesday that would block potential EPA rule-making on everything
from the power plant regulations to oversight of lead in fishing tackle.
McConnell has previously endorsed using appropriations riders to target EPA
policies where possible.”
WH
wins climate court ruling. The Hill: “The Court of Appeals for the District
of Columbia Circuit ruled that the energy companies and states that filed the
lawsuit had jumped the gun, and the court cannot yet review a regulation that
has only been proposed, but not made final.”
Obama
aims to help poor countries deal with climate change. The Hill: “The Obama
administration launched a $34 million public-private effort [to] ‘provide needed
climate services — including actionable science, data, information, tools, and
training’… the White House said in a fact sheet.”
Breakfast Sides
Hillary
Clinton should use kickoff rally to build on FDR’s “Four Freedoms,” says W.
Post’s Katrina vanden Heuvel: “This is Hillary Clinton’s historic
opportunity. The greatest threat to freedom now is posed by the entrenched few
that use their resources and influence to rig the rules to protect their
privileges. She would do a great service for the country — and for her own
political prospects — by offering a far more expansive American view of what
freedom requires, and what threatens it.”
Wall
Street ties of new SEC chief of staff questioned by AFL-CIO. McClatchy: “The
AFL-CIO on Tuesday wrote to SEC Chair Mary Jo White demanding to know what sort
of perks Andrew Donohue received when he left the Wall Street titan for a job as
a regulator … Of particular interest to opponents of Donohue’s appointment is
the Stock Incentive Plan at Goldman Sachs. It reportedly has a clause allowing
the accelerated vesting of stock awards or equivalent cash payments when a
Goldman exec resigns to enter government service.”
Progressive
Breakfast is a daily morning email highlighting news stories of interest to
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