House Republicans' H.R. 1 bill — a label historically used to signal the party in power's top legislative priority — may get bipartisan support for the first time since 2007, according to data from Quorum.
Driving the news: At least two Democrats — Texas Reps. Henry Cuellar and Vicente Gonzalez — will support the sweeping GOP energy bill when it receives a floor vote as soon as this week.
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients’s first appointment in the morning is reserved for himself: 20 minutes of transcendental meditation at 4:30am. For the rest of the day, inclusivity is his mantra.
Why it matters: As White House officials adjust to new management under Zients, who succeeded Ron Klain in early February, they're in more meetings than before, according to administration officials. Zients, a longtime management consultant, is a big believer in delegating.
After nearly 2,500 reports of unruly passengers on flights last year, Congress is considering a new no-fly list.
Driving the news: Senate and House members proposed legislation Wednesday that would allow the Transportation Security Administration to ban people convicted or fined for assaulting or interfering with airline crews.
Yes, but: The back-and-forth is unlikely to actually go anywhere, a reality that has dominated the issue of gun reform in the U.S. for more than a decade.
D.C. leaders who appeared before Congress Wednesday rejected Republicans' claims of a "crime crisis" in the nation's capital.
Why it matters: The House GOP is dialing up scrutiny of Washington, painting the Democratic-run city as mismanaged and clashing with local leaders who have long sought statehood.
The Senate on Wednesday voted 66-30 to repeal authorizations for the use of force in Iraq, more than twenty years after the U.S. invasion of the country.
Why it matters: The historic bipartisanvote moves to reassert Congress' power over the use of military force abroad.
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the House China select committee, told Axios that Beijing views artificial intelligence as an "instrument or weapon with which to perfect its Orwellian techno-totalitarian surveillance state."
Why it matters: The speed of recent developments in AI has caused alarm among some policymakers and tech leaders. Gallagher said his "primary concern" is that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will use the technology to "perfect" and "export" its authoritarian model beyond its borders.
Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), chair of the new House China select committee, told Axios that it would be "geopolitical malpractice" to separate the threats to the U.S. posed by Russia and China.
Why it matters: The Republican Party is divided on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with some — including former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — viewing the war as a "territorial dispute" and a distraction from the real threat posed by the Chinese government.
The TikTok debate could be simplified fast with a sale that puts the Chinese government farther from the platform, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told Axios' Mike Allen at the What's Next Summit.
Why it matters: Kelly said he recognizes the power of TikTok for businesses and marketing, but cited his concerns about how the Chinese government can "on demand get access to lots of data."
Ajay Banga, President Biden’s nominee to lead the World Bank, wants the bank to focus on poverty alleviation and climate change — and warns that the world needs a massive investment from the private sector to adequately address both challenges.
Why it matters: The bank is under pressure from rich countries, and the Biden administration, to do more to fight climate change — but less-developed countries worry it will do so at the expense of its focus on health, education and poverty reduction.
Arkansas officials filed lawsuits against Meta and TikTok under the state's Deceptive Trade Practices Act on Tuesday in a move they said was designed to protect children.
The big picture: The two lawsuits against TikTok and parent company ByteDance and a third against Meta come at a time of heightened scrutiny from state and federal lawmakers.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed legislation Tuesday that's designed to stop gasoline price gouging, which his office hailed as "the strongest state-level oversight and accountability measures on Big Oil in the nation."
An AP investigation into Chinese government efforts to influence Utah lawmakers has drawn scrutiny to elected officials' trips abroad — and a lack of transparency around who paid for them.
Driving the news: Rep. Candice Pierucci (R-Herriman) is renewing a call for state officials to disclose when foreign governments help pay for their travel to conduct state business.
