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Presented by Facebook: POLITICO's must-read briefing on what's driving the afternoon in Washington. | | | | |  | | By Eli Okun | | | | 
President Joe Biden will deliver remarks at 2:15 p.m. from the Roosevelt Room. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo | President JOE BIDEN today unveiled a massive plan on student loan debt. Many of the details have been widely reported in the press in recent days, but others were surprising — and the changes, already controversial on both the right and the left, could have a significant impact on tens of millions of Americans’ lives. Here’s what the reforms entail: — Debt forgiveness. As expected, the administration will wipe out $10,000 in student loan debt for borrowers making under $125,000 a year (or $250,000 for married couples). But that topline number belies the extent of the forgiveness, because Pell Grant recipients will have $20,000 forgiven — and they make up the majority of borrowers, per CNN’s MJ Lee. — Capping repayment levels. Monthly payments on undergraduate loans will be limited to 5% of monthly income. — Extending the repayment pause. Once again, the pandemic-era halt to student loan repayments was extended — but the administration is warning that this is the last time. At the start of the new year, repayments will resume. The plan falls short of progressives’ hopes; much of the left had pushed for $50,000 to be forgiven per borrower and resisted the income caps. But the $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients and the 5% repayment cap stood out as unexpected victories. Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER and Sen. ELIZABETH WARREN (D-Mass.) called the plan a “giant step forward.” On the flip side, Republicans slammed the move as unfair, illegal and/or financially foolhardy. “President Biden’s student loan socialism is a slap in the face to every family who sacrificed to save for college, every graduate who paid their debt, and every American who chose a certain career path or volunteered to serve in our Armed Forces in order to avoid taking on debt,” Senate Minority Leader MITCH McCONNELL said in a statement . Republicans and Biden administration officials have clashed over whether debt forgiveness, which is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, will worsen — or ameliorate — inflation. Politically, it remains to be seen whether the long-awaited student loan debt action will (a) inspire Democratic turnout by shoring up Biden with the base, (b) become a conservative lightning rod that drives Republicans to the polls, or (c) get washed out by the chronic churn of other big news stories. The policy is also expected to face challenges in court. “Polling has shown that Americans are divided on the issue of debt forgiveness,” note WSJ’s Andrew Restuccia and Gabriel Rubin , “with support fluctuating depending on the details of the proposal. An NPR/Ipsos poll released in June found 55% support for the idea of forgiving up to $10,000 in student loan debt.” Biden will deliver remarks at 2:15 p.m. from the Roosevelt Room. More from Michael Stratford and Eugene REBOUND STRIKES AGAIN — First lady JILL BIDEN has once more tested positive with a rebound coronavirus case, CNN’s Kate Bennett scooped. She has no symptoms so far, and will remain isolated at the beach in Delaware. ON THE HORN — Biden will call Ukrainian President VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY on Thursday, commemorating Ukraine’s independence day and discussing the war, per the White House. Good Wednesday afternoon.
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Learn more about our work ahead. | | | ALL POLITICS ABOUT LAST NIGHT — In the wake of Democrats’ New York special election victory Tuesday, The Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter, Jessica Taylor and Dave Wasserman revised their predictions for the House: They now project Republicans to gain 10 to 20 seats, down from 15 to 30 previously. Though the GOP is still favored to retake the chamber, they write, the “Red Wave Looks More Like a Ripple.” — Sabato’s Crystal Ball made three race ratings changes: Rep.-elect PAT RYAN’s new New York district in November moved from toss-up to leaning Democratic, MARC MOLINARO’s new New York district in November moved from leaning Republican to toss-up, and the Ohio Senate race between J.D. VANCE and Democratic Rep. TIM RYAN moved from likely Republican to leaning Republican, per Kyle Kondik. BATTLE FOR THE SENATE — Rep. VAL DEMINGS (D-Fla.) has far outraised Sen. MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) so far in her campaign to unseat him, but Republicans don’t expect that to last — or to be sufficient for her to outrun the state’s red tint, Matt Dixon reports from Tallahassee. “While Republicans acknowledge control of the Senate might be slipping away from them, they are confident Rubio will beat Demings.” AD WARS — The Congressional Leadership Fund is launching $1 million in ads hammering Reps. KIM SCHRIER (D-Wash.) and ELAINE LURIA (D-Va.), the super PACs’ first in those districts. The ads focus on the economy and linking the congresswomen closely to Biden. More from The Hill … Schrier ad … Luria ad POLITICAL VIOLENCE WATCH — Rep. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) was “swatted” at her home overnight, when police were called to a false report of a shooting there, per the Rome News-Tribune. Local police said the caller admitted to swatting Greene because of her stance on transgender youth. CONGRESS THAT WAS FAST — Rep. GERRY CONNOLLY (D-Va.) announced today that he’ll seek Democrats’ top spot on the House Oversight Committee after current Chair CAROLYN MALONEY (D-N.Y.) lost her primary Tuesday. But, but, but: Rep. JAMIE RASKIN (D-Md.) told Punchbowl’s Heather Caygle that he’s “strongly considering” a bid for the spot. And Rep. STEPHEN LYNCH (D-Mass.) sent a letter to his Democratic colleagues formally joining the race too.
| | | | STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today. | | | | | THE WHITE HOUSE SMALL OFFICE, BIG IMPACT — A year and a half into his administration, Biden still hasn’t named a permanent head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. But the White House is getting closer to a decision, and that person could have a major impact on policymaking, especially if Republicans wrest control of Congress, Adam Cancryn reports . Officials are divided over whether to tap an assertive progressive or an institutionalist moderate, and the pick could face a tough confirmation battle either way. But the office will exert outsize power on the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and a suite of other top policy priorities in the years to come. JAN. 6 AND ITS AFTERMATH THE INVESTIGATIONS — Rep. SCOTT PERRY (R-Pa.) sued last week to try to stop the Justice Department from looking at his cellphone in its 2020 election subversion investigation, Kyle Cheney revealed today . His phone was seized earlier this month, as investigators tabbed the congressman as a relevant figure in the effort to overturn the election. “[F]ederal agents should not be given carte blanche to root around in Rep. Perry’s phone data looking for evidence that they hope might further their investigation,” his attorneys wrote. The filing — Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM’s (R-S.C.) latest court filing today argued that he shouldn’t have to answer questions on any of the topics Fulton County, Ga., DA FANI WILLIS has identified or other topics that outside groups have raised, CNN’s Tierney Sneed reports. “Graham, however, did not scale back his arguments in his latest brief for why he thinks the entire scope of the subpoena should be seen as off limits under the Constitution.” The filing POLICY CORNER GUNS IN AMERICA — “Ghost guns” are now subject to new federal regulations as a Biden administration rule takes effect today, WaPo’s Mark Berman reports. Two federal judges ruled in favor of the administration in declining to block the rule, though other legal challenges remain ongoing. “The rule mandates serial numbers on gun kits and directs licensed dealers to sell them only with background checks.” WHAT HUD IS UP TO — “White House Pledges ‘Stability’ Vouchers for Homeless and At-Risk People,” by Bloomberg’s Kriston Capps: “A new federal fund aims to bolster those who are most vulnerable, and at the same time, get local authorities talking to each other. … The communities who are first in line for the $43 million stability voucher fund are those who can demonstrate that their public housing agencies and homeless authorities are working together to coordinate relief.” BIG CLIMATE MOVE — California will ban the sale of new gas cars by 2035 in a new regulation going into effect Thursday, per NYT’s Coral Davenport and Lisa Friedman. “The restrictions are important because not only is California the largest auto market in the United States, but more than a dozen other states typically follow California’s lead when setting their own auto emissions standards.”
| | | | A message from Facebook:   | | | MAR-A-LAGO LATEST INSIDE TRUMP’S MIND — As DONALD TRUMP negotiated early on with the National Archives officials who wanted to recover documents he’d taken to Mar-a-Lago, he said the documents were his and likely headed for his presidential library, WSJ’s Alex Leary, Sadie Gurman and Vivian Salama report. “He has said, ‘People put this stuff in their library. How can they put it in their library if it has to go back to the Archives? I don’t understand why I can’t have these things,’” a source tells them. ABORTION FALLOUT BIDEN BLOCKED — A federal judge in Texas ruled late Tuesday that HHS was unauthorized to issue guidance saying that doctors can — and sometimes must — provide abortions as part of emergency medical care. The preliminary injunction in Texas’ lawsuit against the federal government restricts for now one of the few executive-branch tools Biden has been able to use to try to preserve abortion access post-Dobbs. More from CNN AMERICA AND THE WORLD ICYMI — U.S. airstrikes hit nine bunkers in Syria early today, the military said, yielding no casualties but aiming at groups linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. They were retaliatory attacks following strikes earlier this month on American facilities in the country. More from NBC IMMIGRATION FILES — More Cubans are now immigrating to America than they have since 1959 — often young, single, well-educated adults, WSJ’s José de Córdoba reports from Miami. They’re leaving due to political repression and economic calamity in Cuba, including an electricity crisis on the island this month. And Cuba’s ties to Nicaragua have opened up an easier path for Cubans to travel up to the U.S. over the past year. THE PANDEMIC THE POLITICS OF PUBLIC HEALTH — During the Trump administration, political officials pressured the FDA to speed up authorizations of coronavirus vaccines and to sign off on controversial treatments, per a new House Dem report, Katherine Ellen Foley reports. PETER NAVARRO was a key figure. “Senior Trump administration officials fought for the reauthorization of hydroxychloroquine … The Democrats’ investigation also documents potential influence from former White House officials regarding the FDA’s decision to authorize convalescent plasma, and White House attempts to block the FDA from collecting additional safety data on Covid-19 vaccines in order to get them to the public before the 2020 presidential election.”
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY. | | | | | PLAYBOOKERS IN MEMORIAM — “Rick Reed, who crafted Swift boat ads attacking John Kerry, dies at 69,” by WaPo’s Harrison Smith: “The GOP media strategist was known for writing and producing commercials during the 2004 presidential race. He also contributed to John McCain’s and Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns.” MEDIA MOVES — NBC is shuffling some top “Meet the Press” roles: Executive producer John Reiss is transitioning to “Meet the Press Reports,” while David Gelles will rejoin the network as EP of “Meet the Press,” per Deadline’s Ted Johnson. Gelles most recently led several shows at CNN+. TRANSITIONS — Michael Romanowski has been named head of government relations at Archer Aviation. He most recently was aircraft certification director of policy and innovation and director of next-gen integration and implementation and commercial space integration at the FAA. … Mark Rubin is joining Verrill as counsel in its telecom practice. He most recently was senior executive for government affairs at TracFone Wireless. … Ned Rauch-Mannino is now a non-resident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He is a Trump Commerce and USAID alum. … … Jamie Kunchick is now a public affairs specialist for nuclear, security and environmental at Bechtel. She most recently was senior digital media strategist at the American Petroleum Institute. … James Mismash is now a military legislative assistant for Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.). He was previously a defense budget research assistant for Mackenzie Eaglen at AEI. … Dianna Steinbach is now chief strategy officer for the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors. She previously was VP of international services for the International Sanitary Supply Association. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Tim Morrison, senior director for government operations at Boeing Defense and a Trump NSC alum, and Bethany Morrison, a national security staffer for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), welcomed Sophia Vivian Morrison on Aug. 16. Pic … Another pic
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