Today in Trump: March 24, 2017
Today in the Trump Administration
Health care vote - the latest news
After Republican leaders abruptly postponed its vote on the GOP health care bill Thursday, President Trump declared he was finished negotiating with Republicans opposed to the current measure and sent the message he wanted the vote Friday. House Speaker Paul Ryan went to the White House to brief the president on the state of play in the vote.
The House is debating the measure now and is expected to begin voting on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) later this afternoon. Follow along here for live updates
GOP health care bill: Will it pass? The whip count
Donald Trump and GOP leaders did not succeed in attracting enough support for the American Healthcare Act (AHCA) for a vote on Thursday, so they’ll try again Friday morning. President Trump, according to OMB Director Mick Mulvaney, told House Republicans it’s now or never, and the time for negotiating is over. If it doesn’t pass this time, they’ll all be stuck with Obamacare. The president, Mulvaney said, is ready to move on with the rest of his agenda.
There are no Democrats who are expected to support the bill, but it also has detractors within the GOP among moderates and conservative. Here’s the latest CBS count.
House Intelligence committee goes to war with itself over Russia investigation
In consecutive press conferences on Friday, House Intelligence committee chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) and ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) took their fight over the investigation into President Donald Trump’s ties to the Russian government public once again.
In a Tweet Friday morning, Schiff said Nunes had cancelled a public hearing with former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA director John Brennan, and former acting Attorney General Sally Yates.
Keystone XL pipeline
President Trump announced he’s issuing a presidential permit to pipeline builder TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline, calling it a “great day” for jobs and energy independence.
The president said in an announcement at the White House Friday that the pipeline will lower energy costs and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil. He also called it the greatest pipeline known to man or woman. The completed pipeline will span 900 miles, and Mr. Trump noted, it would bring 800 barrels a day to Gulf Coast refineries.
How President Trump’s predictions pan out
President Donald Trump makes predictions. They vary in topic and degree of import — from celebrity relationships to global political events — but they are a recurring staple of his digital and public presence.
The president, a billionaire who delights in tweaking “haters and losers” on social media, seems to relish the moments when he believes his predictions are proven correct — even on some occasions when the evidence suggests otherwise. This is one takeaway, among many, from his interview with TIME magazine published on Thursday.
Schedule
President Trump attends NEC meeting, 10:15 a.m., is expected to make announcement about Keystone XL pipeline; meets with Tex. Gov. Greg Abbott and Charter Communications to talk infrastructure, jobs; meets with Medal of Honor recipients for Medal of Honor Day; hosts reception for Greek Independence day, 2:30 p.m.
Recent Trump Administration News:
Adam Schiff says there’s “more than circumstantial evidence” of Trump-Russia collusion
The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said Wednesday that there is now “more than circumstantial evidence” that Trump’s associates colluded with the Russians to interfere in the U.S. election.
In an interview on MSNBC’s “Meet the Press Daily,” host Chuck Todd asked if Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, currently has a circumstantial case.
“Actually, no, Chuck. I can tell you that the case is more than that. And I can’t go into the particulars, but there is more than circumstantial evidence now,” Schiff said.
Some Democrats in Congress want former British spy to testify about Russian dossier
CBS News has learned that some members of Congress want former British spy Christopher Steele to testify before the House Intelligence Committee investigating whether the Trump Campaign coordinated with the Russians during the 2016 election.
Health care bill divides Trump supporters in Arizona
In an interview with TIME magazine today, President Trump said, “I tend to be right. I’m an instinctual person. I happen to be a person that knows how life works.”
And a lot of voters agree. CBS News went to speak with them in Arizona.
- Poll: Majority of young adults don’t see Trump as legit president
- Poll: Trump’s job approval has fallen recently, including among GOP voters
It would be hard to find more fervent Mr. Trump supporters than Barbara Wyllie and Corky Haynes.
John McCain says Congress lacks “credibility” to investigate Russia meddling
Sen. John McCain revived his call Wednesday for a select committee or independent commission to investigate Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.
This came after Rep. Devin Nunes, R-California, revealed new developments Wednesday in the investigation, and briefed the press, Speaker Paul Ryan and President Trump before briefing his own members on the House Intelligence Committee, including his Democratic counterpart, Rep. Adam Schiff of California.
“What we need, to address this whole issue of what the Russians did, how they did it, the impact, and what we do about it, belongs in the hands of a select committee,” McCain, an Arizona Republican, said on MSNBC’s “For the Record” with Greta Van Susteren.
House health care vote
This evening, President Trump faces his first major legislative test, the vote to replace the existing health law, the Affordable Care Act. The White House has been meeting with House Republicans, but will those meetings with the administration be enough? CBS has been counting the votes opposed -- here’s our list.
Drama building over Republican health care bill
House Republican leaders continue to pull out all the stops in an effort to piece together enough votes from members of their own party to pass the American Health Care Act – the GOP measure designed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare).
A House vote on the bill was scheduled for Thursday night but it appeared uncertain early Thursday whether the vote would take place.
With all House Democrats expected to vote against the Republican legislation (except for one whose wife just died and who didn’t plan on being in Washington), the GOP could only afford to have 22 of its own vote against the bill.
GOP health care bill: Why some Republicans are opposing it
House Republican leaders are putting their health care bill to a vote Thursday evening, but it is at this point not evident that they have the votes they’ll need to pass the bill. They can lose up to 22 members, assuming that no Democrats will support the bill. Here’s the most current count of the “no” votes, according to CBS News.
Both conservative and moderate Republicans oppose the bill, though their reasons for their planned votes against the American Healthcare act vary -- these are some of the problems they’ve cited.
Gorsuch confirmation hearings, day four
Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has withstood two days of testimony -- outside witnesses will be testifiyging today.
Cabinet
Senate Banking Committee holds confirmation hearing for Jay Clayton to be chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. 9:30 a.m.
Senate Agriculture Committee holds the confirmation hearing for Sonny Perdue to be Agriculture Secretary. 10:00am.
