Six Trump Cabinet secretaries are being summoned by Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) for hearings next week on President Trump's 2027 budget request.

• Treasury's Scott Bessent, Health and Human Services' Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Commerce's Howard Lutnick, Interior's Doug Burgum, Energy's Chris Wright and Agriculture's Brooke Rollins are set to appear before subcommittees on April 22, we scooped this afternoon.

Why it matters: It may seem rich to talk about next year's budget while the current one is unfinished as of April 14. But Collins is serious about stopping reconciliation bills from replacing the regular appropriations process.

• "We don't want to set up a system where we're relying on endless reconciliation bills," she told us today.
• "It's important to remember that 11 of the 12 appropriations bills did go through on a bipartisan basis," Collins said.

Zoom in: Collins is also trying to convince Democrats that they lose leverage when Republicans resort to reconciliation to fund more controversial agencies.

• "I would much rather that we do appropriations bills. I particularly don't like multi-year reconciliation bills," Collins told us.
• "But the fact is, it's the Democrats who put us into this position. My hope is that the Democratic committee members will take a constructive approach and that they believe in the appropriations process."

Between the lines: Collins wants to show Maine voters she can still deliver ahead of November's elections, when she's seeking her sixth term.

• Her potential Democratic opponent in the general election, Graham Platner, has said he would seek a seat on the Appropriations Committee if elected.
• He's engaged in a nasty primary with Gov. Janet Mills, but is acting like it's finished and is focusing on the general election.
• "We're going to lose her power, her seniority," if Collins is defeated, Platner acknowledged this week at a town hall in Boothbay, Maine.

What's next: "We will then go into markups in June, and I hope that bills will be brought to the floor in July," Collins told us.

• "There are a lot of difficult choices to be made."

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— Hans Nichols

Trump will host FISA-skeptical lawmakers at the White House tonight in a last-ditch effort to flip holdouts ahead of tomorrow's vote on reauthorizing the surveillance program.

Why it matters: Speaker Mike Johnson is facing an uphill climb to pass a clean extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and he is leaning heavily on the White House to get a clean 18-month extension over the line.

• Hardline conservatives are threatening to sink the bill unless changes are made regarding privacy concerns.
• Other members are demanding that the SAVE America Act, the GOP's signature elections bill, be attached to FISA — which would make it dead on arrival in the Senate.
• Politico first reported on the briefing.

Zoom in: The administration and GOP leadership have been working for weeks to win over holdouts, including hosting a briefing at the White House for skeptics just before the two-week recess, we previously reported.

• The White House argued last night that threats tied to the "Biden border crisis," drug cartels and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure underscore the need to preserve FISA authorities.
• Johnson, Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Intelligence Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) were also invited to the briefing, two sources told us.

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— Kate Santaliz

Sen. Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) is hosting a mega fundraiser tonight in Georgetown that aims to raise $1.2 million in a single evening for four House colleagues from his state, Reps. Rob Bresnahan Jr., Brian Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mackenzie and Scott Perry, according to a person familiar with the matter.

• Some of the biggest names in GOP circles are co-chairs, including former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Wayne Berman, Jeff Miller, Jason Miller, David Urban, Dan Klingerman and Tony Sayegh.

The bottom line: McCormick has raised more than $7 million for his campaign account and leadership PAC since being elected in 2024.

• He's willing to share his network for his Pennsylvania colleagues — and his party.

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— Hans Nichols