Jul 18, 2017

House budget resolution still assumes repeal

Jacquelyn Martin / AP

In the "don't call it dead yet" category … the House is releasing its fiscal 2018 budget resolution this morning, and it assumes that all of the policies in the House-passed Affordable Care Act repeal bill, the American Health Care Act, will become law.

And that's not all. It also revives the GOP proposals for Medicare premium support — the overhaul House Speaker Paul Ryan has been championing for years, but also the one President Trump has said he doesn't want to do.

The savings:

Medicare premium support: $487 billion/10 years
Medicaid and other health programs: $1.5 trillion/10 years

Reality check: It may not sound realistic, but everything about the budget is a negotiation — and House Republicans are loading up their budget with as many conservative priorities as they possibly can. It also calls for Medicaid work requirements, additional state flexibility beyond the House bill's Medicaid changes, and medical liability reform.

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Mike Allen

1 hour ago - Technology

Trump and Zuckerberg share phone call amid social media furor

Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

In the week that President Trump took on social media, Axios has learned that he had a call Friday with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg that was described by both sides as productive.

Why it matters: With the White House and Twitter at war, Facebook has managed to keep diplomatic relations with the world's most powerful social-media devotee.

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Sara Fischer

1 hour ago - Economy & Business

Twitter, Google lead chorus of brands backing George Floyd protests

Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios

Twitter and Google are among the dozens of brands over the past 24 hours that have taken public stances in favor of Americans protesting racial equality. Some companies have changed their logos in solidarity with the movement, while others have pledged money in support of efforts to address social injustice.

Why it matters: The pressure that companies feel to speak out on issues has increased during the Trump era, as businesses have sought to fill a trust void left by the government. Now, some of the biggest companies are quickly taking a public stand on the protests, pressuring all other brands to do the same.

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Jacob Knutson

3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

NYPD commissioner: "I'm extremely proud" of officers' response to protests

New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea in February. Photo: Yana Paskova/Getty Images

New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a public statement Sunday that he is "extremely proud" of the New York City Police Department's response to protests over the death of George Floyd Saturday night, writing: "What we saw in New York City last night and the night before was not about peaceful protest of any kind."

Why it matters: New York City residents captured several instances of police officers using excessive force against demonstrators. In one video, two NYPD SUVs are seen ramming into protesters who were blocking a road and throwing traffic cones at the vehicles.

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