Today’s notice: August is close on the calendar but far away on the Senate floor. Trump brings the Epstein story back with him from Scotland. An exclusive look at the DSCC’s plan to poke Joni Ernst. And: Climate change policy goes out with a whimper.
THE LATEST
‘No sign of how or when it will end’: That’s NOTUS’ Hill team describing the state of the fight over nominations in the Senate right now. But it could also describe the Senate session itself, currently grinding along despite the calendar getting dangerously close to that planned August recess.
Will there be a deal? In normal times, the minority and majority party would make a deal to clear some outstanding nominees quickly so everyone can skedaddle. Those talks are underway, our team reports, but keep in mind this is a Senate with a lot of raw feelings. Democrats are still looking to get something in return for helping their Republican colleagues out, Sen. Dick Durbin told NOTUS.
Will Republicans even want a deal? There are more than a hundred nominees outstanding. Is there a number less than that Donald Trump will accept? “I don’t know that we’ve settled on just exactly what that is,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said.