It’s Tuesday. Happy July!! 🫐🦞
In today’s issue:
- Senate passes significant legislation
- Thune hands it over to Johnson
- House reconvenes Wednesday
- 27 Hours of Voting – A Word from Lama
- “Wannial Catraz” on the Trump Tour
- Musk steers public Trump battle
Capitol Hill Updates
By Gory, they actually did it:
Senate Republicans have successfully advanced President Trump‘s legislative agenda about 27 hours into an intense voting session.
GOP Senators Land Pole (KY), Tom Tillis (NC), and Susan Collins (ME)—along with all 47 Democrats—voted against it. Meanwhile, fifty Republicans supported it, leading to a tie-breaker from Vice President Vance.
Senate Majority Leader John Tune (RD) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) played crucial roles in securing the bill’s passage, adjusting its contents to lessen the impacts of Medicaid and food stamp reductions in Alaska.
What were the last-minute changes? CNN’s Sarafelis reported modifications including:
- The Rural Hospital Fund has doubled.
- Excise taxes on wind and solar projects have been eliminated.
- The Medicaid gender ban has been removed.
📸 Vance arrived at the Capitol this morning looking energized.
How are leaders displaying their optimism? I felt a noticeable shift in the atmosphere this morning. Senator Lindsey Graham (RD) was reportedly joking about golfing with Trump.
🗨🗨️Stay tuned to today’s live updates
💻Check out the live stream
➤ Speaker Johnson, it’s over to you:
The Senate’s version now returns to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who must recalibrate the vote.
Johnson urged his colleagues to keep the bill close to the original proposal, mentioning that the Senate version had expanded Medicaid cuts.
Thune mentioned this morning he hadn’t discussed changes with Johnson yet.
📃📃Comparison of House and Senate bills
Johnson is facing a challenging situation. The bill only barely passed the House back in May with a vote of 215-214.
Timing: The House Rules Committee is expected to meet about an hour after the Senate vote, with the House returning Wednesday to finalize the decision.
➤Scenes and Moments:
Tillis went viral: A social media user asked Senator Tom Tillis (R-NC) why he kissed a camera. He shared how he missed his family’s vacation.
Memorable visual: Senators Murkowski and Susan Collins (R-ME) took a walk together on the Senate floor.
Signs of fatigue: Check out Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) sitting on the Senate floor looking worn out.
📸Protester arrested in the Senate gallery
*Collective aww*: Senator Reuben Gallego (D-AZ) brought his baby to the floor, creating a crowd around them.
Behind the scenes in Capitol: Mullin posted a short video about the history of the US Capitol.
Interesting moment: Check out an exchange with Senator Murkowski.
Incident of the Day: Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) had to skip a planned audience with the Pope to vote in favor of the bill.
🐊Trump Update:
Meanwhile, in Florida…:
President Trump visited Florida this morning, attending the opening of a new immigration detention center called “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Everglades.
This visit was planned long before the extended Senate session. Upon his arrival, Trump asked reporters if the bill had passed.
Curious comments: Trump advised that to evade crocodiles, immigrants should not run straight but rather zigzag. “Your chances of escape increase by about 1%,” he noted. 📹 Catch Trump’s insight
💻 Watch Trump’s “Wannial Catraz” discussion
Part 2 of “Very Public Divorce”:
Elon Musk reignited his feud with President Trump this week as Republicans push their agenda through.
Musk is voicing his discontent with the “big, beautiful bill,” criticizing former friends and allies. 🔎 Check Musk’s recent posts
His influence is notable: Musk has pledged financial support to key challengers of Republicans voting in favor of Trump’s bill, which could sway things given his wealth. He mentioned he would help fund Thomas Massey‘s (R-KY) reelection campaign.
Trump’s counter-threat: Trump hinted at using the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) against Musk, should the need arise.
When asked about the possibility of deporting Musk, Trump said he’d have to consider it.
➤Tidbit – New Product Launch:
Trump announced a fragrance line on Monday. This broad array of business activities raises questions concerning ethical conflicts.
Time Keeps Moving:
The House is adjourned, the Senate continues, and President Trump is in Florida. (All Times EST)
2:45 PM: Trump returns to the White House.
July 16: Hill and News Nation are hosting the Hill Nation Summit in Washington. Requests for attendance are open.
Internet Highlights:
🍪 Celebrate: Today marks Nationwide Generation Day.
🧘 Legal Action: Lululemon sues Costco over selling products that they claim infringe on their designs.
🚀 New Ventures: Netflix is live streaming NASA events starting this summer.
🌯 Popular Dish: An Atlantic piece explores the return of a much-disliked sandwich, suggesting it might be the “worst sandwich” ever made.
Excerpt: “At best, [wraps] end up as gummy, cold tortillas with minimal filling. In the worst case, they’re a jumbled mess lacking any substantial contents. It’s just like a salad that isn’t refreshing or a sandwich with hardly any substance—a culinary abomination wrapped in edible cardboard.”
👋 And that’s a wrap…
As we dive into summer, here’s a fun suggestion for the beach: Enjoy this creative dog idea!
