TEXT PROVES TRICKY— Anyone hoping to get their hands on a draft of the Senate’s bipartisan gun violence prevention legislation ended their week where they started: waiting.

But Senate negotiators aren’t giving up, even as converting the agreed-upon principles into bill text proves challenging. Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) met Thursday, but emerged without agreement.","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.politico.com/minutes/congress/06-16-2022/cornyns-update/","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477a0000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477a0001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">but emerged without agreement. Their hopes to have a bill to introduce by the end of the week were dashed.

All or nothing? Efforts to close the “boyfriend loophole,” which allows convicted domestic abusers to buy guns if they aren’t married to their partner, are proving especially challenging. The same issue has repeatedly tripped up negotiations over reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and provisions were eventually stripped in order for the bills to pass.

A GOP source familiar with the talks told Marianne that "either the Democrats accept what the Republicans are asking for on boyfriend loophole, or it will be dropped entirely." But Murphy’s team disputes that, and says there are still discussions about those provisions.

The so-called red flag provisions, which would incentivize states to launch programs to allow for the temporary removal of firearms if a person is determined to be a danger to themselves or others, are also proving challenging to lock into legislative language.

Cornyn is back in Texas this weekend and slated to speak at the state GOP convention, where he faces a rebuke for participating in the gun violence prevention talks, according to Patrick Svitek at The Texas Tribune","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://twitter.com/PatrickSvitek/status/1537673201014153216?s=20&t=F9kCLnrFQzD0VXnC96UmkA","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477c0000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477c0001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">according to Patrick Svitek at The Texas Tribune.

Schedule realities: The Senate returns Tuesday afternoon from the Juneteenth long weekend, which gives them just four days before the two-week Independence Day recess to move a bill if it comes together in the coming days.

The plan to move this bill through the Senate before the July 4 recess is in jeopardy. It is still possible if the bill text is ready to move immediately on Tuesday and all 100 Senators cooperate, but that is a tall order.

RELATED: Cornyn heads home as GOP, Dem Senate bargainers remain divided over gun deal details","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2022/06/16/cornyn-heads-home-as-gop-dem-senate-bargainers-remain-divided-over-gun-deal-details/","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477c0002","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477c0003","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">Cornyn heads home as GOP, Dem Senate bargainers remain divided over gun deal details, from Joe Morton at The Dallas Morning News; Missouri Republicans ask Sen. Blunt to withdraw support from bipartisan gun deal","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article262574342.html","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477c0004","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477c0005","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">Missouri Republicans ask Sen. Blunt to withdraw support from bipartisan gun deal, from Kacen Bayless at the Kansas City Star; Gun Talks Snag on Tricky Question: What Counts as a Boyfriend?","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/17/us/politics/senate-guns-boyfriend-loophole.html","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477c0006","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477c0007","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">Gun Talks Snag on Tricky Question: What Counts as a Boyfriend? From Emily Cochrane and Stephanie Lai at The New York Times

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this June 17, 2022, where you can just give Celtics fans a (very brief) period of wallowing, if you don’t mind.

Programming Note: Huddle off this Monday for Juneteenth but will be back in your inboxes on Tuesday, June 21. 

A SUMMER REVIVAL?— Efforts for a party-line Democratic reconciliation bill on climate, tax reform and prescription drugs aren’t dead, say key Dems. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) met twice this week on a potential package, where they are putting together a package from scratch instead of dredging up the disagreements that tanked reconciliation last year, Burgess reports.

Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also met with Biden on Wednesday, and afterward Pelosi said of Democrats’ party-line spending bill: “It’s alive. I’ll just say that.”

Schumer and his team have engaged the Senate parliamentarian to help prepare for a possible July or August vote. And a Democratic pollster is taking the temperature in Senate battleground states, as the clock ticks closer to election day. But this bill is on its own timeline: the current budget reconciliation protections expire on Sept. 30.

Manchin’s lines: On energy, Manchin will not support “direct pay” provisions for companies that produce clean energy for consumer use. And significant spending will be a tough sell with inflation.

SELECT COMMITTEE STEPBACK— “For all the panel’s public quibbling over whether to vote on referring Trump to the Justice Department for a possible criminal case, members did it their own way. They used Thursday’s public hearing to present what they see as some of their most compelling evidence and thereby mount a case, with Attorney General Merrick Garland watching, that Trump broke the law in his effort to make former Vice President Mike Pence single-handedly overturn the election,” write Kyle and Nicholas","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/16/jan-6-committee-doj-trump-00040320?nname=playbook&nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nrid=eabb3827-671f-4de4-847e-24bf82ebb797&nlid=630318","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477f0000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff477f0001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">write Kyle and Nicholas.

RELATED: Tensions escalate as DOJ renews request for Jan. 6 panel transcripts, from Kyle and Josh Gerstein

Midwest yoga dudes, unite… Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) is starting (re-starting?) his personal yoga practice","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://twitter.com/RepAndyLevin/status/1537473770964795392","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47820000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47820001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">starting (re-starting?) his personal yoga practice and longtime yoga and mindfulness advocate Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) is ready to join in,","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://twitter.com/RepTimRyan/status/1537488129799733251?s=20&t=QVHzHm3vA_fgbN8Uhiiiyw","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47820002","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47820003","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">ready to join in, responding “Midwest yogi sesh soon?” to Levin’s video on Twitter. Starting any movement routine is hard, but we promise it is easier if you aren’t wearing a suit.

It only took 230 years … Last week two Senate rooms were finally named for women. Paul Kane from The Washington Post dove into the long journey it took to get there, with an opening anecdote of bewildered men surrounded by portraits of strong women","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/16/senate-rooms-women-names/","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47820004","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47820005","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">bewildered men surrounded by portraits of strong women.

More than the MRA… About 30 members of the Congressional Black Associates gathered in the House basement and online to have a candid conversation with key House leaders on issues facing staff, even after the 20 percent boost to the Members’ Representational Allowance (aka office accounts). Questions for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) included one of his favorite topics: cost of living increases on Capitol Hill. Staff aren’t guaranteed COLA and members of Congress haven’t seen any salary increase since 2009. Staff also made the point to raise with Hoyer that pay is far from the only factor for staff morale, citing the emotionally taxing experiences of Jan. 6 and the pandemic.

QUICK LINKS 

Congressional covid funding deal appears ‘dead’ after GOP criticism","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/06/16/covid-funding-deal-appears-dead/","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47820006","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47820007","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">Congressional covid funding deal appears ‘dead’ after GOP criticism, from Dan Diamond at The Washington Post

Inside the MAGA world scramble to produce findings suggesting the 2020 election was stolen","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2022-06-17/jan-6-behind-scenes-trump-election-maga-world-search-fraud","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47830000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47830001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">Inside the MAGA world scramble to produce findings suggesting the 2020 election was stolen, from Sarah D. Wire at The Los Angeles Times

Patty Murray Is Not Giving Up on Childcare Relief","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://newrepublic.com/article/166833/patty-murray-child-care-midterms","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47830002","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47830003","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">Patty Murray Is Not Giving Up on Childcare Relief, from Grace Segers at The New Republic

'They're like our nerd warriors': How the Treasury Department is waging economic war on Russia","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/17/politics/nerd-warriors-treasury-department-sanctions-economic-war-russia/index.html","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47830004","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47830005","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">'They're like our nerd warriors': How the Treasury Department is waging economic war on Russia, from Phil Mattingly at CNN

TRANSITIONS 

Samantha Schifrin will be foreign policy and defense adviser to Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). She currently is legislative director and national security adviser to Rep. David Price (D-N.C.).

Rebecca Tulloch is now director of scheduling for Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.). She most recently was director of operations for Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.).

Erin Hatch Thomas will be director of policy comms at Boeing. She most recently was comms director for House Ways and Means, and is a Booker and Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) alum.

T&I On the Move: Jack Ruddy has been named staff director for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s GOP staff. He’s been the deputy staff director for three and a half years. Michael Falencki is now taking on the deputy staff director role, he’s been deputy staff director on two of the panel’s subcommittees before, and deputy chief for ranking member Sam Graves (R-Mo). Cheryle Tucker is moving to the Highways and Transit Subcommittee staff director role. She’s been with the subcommittee since 2019 and spent 18 years before that on the Appropriations Committee staff.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House convenes at 1 p.m. for a pro forma session.

The Senate convenes 8:30 a.m. for a pro forma session.

AROUND THE HILL

Quiet Friday ahead of Juneteenth.

THURSDAY’S WINNER:Todd Poole correctly answered that President Abraham Lincoln was paid $25,000 per year, which is about $723,504.95 in today’s dollars.

TODAY’S QUESTION from Todd: Of all the House members who have represented North Carolina in Congress throughout history, who served the most consecutive terms?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to ktm@politico.com.","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"mailto:ktm@politico.com","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47850000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47850001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">[email protected]

GET HUDDLEemailed to your phone","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://www.politico.com/newsletters","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47850002","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47850003","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">emailed to your phone each morning.

Follow Katherine on Twitter @ktullymcmanus","link":{"target":"NEW","attributes":[],"url":"https://twitter.com/ktullymcmanus","_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47860000","_type":"33ac701a-72c1-316a-a3a5-13918cf384df"},"_id":"00000181-7b37-d389-a9e7-7fff47860001","_type":"02ec1f82-5e56-3b8c-af6e-6fc7c8772266"}">@ktullymcmanus