With a hand from Burgess Everett, Sarah Ferris, Jordain Carney and Nicholas Wu

BLOCKADE BUST — It looks like Kevin McCarthy has the band of conservative naysayers back in line to unfreeze the House – but there’s still a lot on the line for the speaker.

The House hasn’t voted in more than a week, after hardline conservatives tanked a rule and brought the House to a screeching halt. But on Monday evening, McCarthy (R-Calif.) told reporters he had the votes to unblock the blockade and get things moving again in the lower chamber.

On the agenda: Conservatives say they will help advance bills this week on gas stove regulations (held over from last week) and a measure to roll back a Biden administration firearm accessory rule, which was an igniting factor in last week’s morass.

The House is slated to vote today on a combined rule for consideration of gas stove bills, broader regulatory measures and a Congressional Review Act resolution to roll back a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms regulation on guns equipped with pistol braces, a popular gun accessory.

In return, McCarthy’s conservative antagonists say the speaker has agreed to more closely involve his right flank in major negotiations. Less concrete, but perhaps most important, is an effort to revisit the handshake agreements that hardliners made with leadership when McCarthy was fighting for the speaker’s gavel in January.

This morning at a closed-door conference meeting, they’ll talk it out. But last night Olivia reported on frustrations bubbling over from Republicans feeling like they’ve been held hostage by the small group of rebels.

Spending promises: Conservatives got clear commitment late Monday night on their other key ask: trying to lock in spending below the levels laid out in the McCarthy-Biden debt limit deal.

The debt limit package set “a ceiling, not a floor,” House Appropriations Chair Kay Granger (R-Texas) said Monday night in announcing the decision to undercut the spending caps. “We’ll use the appropriations process in the House to stake out our priorities and reverse the reckless spending of the last two years.”

Granger said she’ll be limiting spending bills to topline totals from fiscal 2022. This move all but eliminates the chance for bipartisan support for House spending bills this cycle and will create a major gap between House and Senate spending proposals.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said that there would be “a lot more fights down the road. We would rather be together.”

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, June 13, where everyone has the chance to reevaluate decisions they made back in January.

REPUBLICANS BET ON TRUMP — McCarthy’s allies believe they could soon get a boost toward GOP unity: Donald Trump’s indictment. While the speaker is still grappling with that humiliating right-flank setback, his supporters were increasingly confident that this week’s even more prominent political circus — Trump becoming the first-ever president to face federal criminal charges — will soon become the bigger focus.

“It all helps, doesn’t it? The more you have in common with, the more you’re gonna get something out of it,” said Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas.). “We’re tired of seeing Trump attacked and Biden not attacked. Why are they investigating Trump and not investigating Biden? That brings us all together.”

The bright spotlight on Trump’s history-making court appearance on Tuesday is a badly needed distraction for McCarthy and his leadership team as they face an ultraconservative rebellion that has defanged the party’s powers on the floor. And some GOP lawmakers believe the new focus for their party — defending the former president and current 2024 frontrunner — could be just the turning point to help Republicans move on from the ultraconservative’s latest attempt at hostage-taking.

MEET ME IN MIAMI — There may be some familiar faces from Capitol Hill in Miami as former President Donald Trump faces arraignment on 37 federal charges.

• Last night Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), held a press conference “on the indictment of former President Donald J. Trump and President Joe Biden’s abandonment of equal justice under the law.”
• Sen. Tommy Tuberville, (R-Ala.), was expected to head to Bedminster tonight, but told POLITICO he would make a game time decision. “I don’t know yet. I was going to but then with all this going down to Miami, there ain’t no telling what’s going to happen,” Tuberville said.

FISA FISSURES — The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing today on FISA section 702, a chunk of surveillance law that eases the monitoring of foreign agents, but allows the intelligence community the power to inadvertently collect the communications of Americans along the way.

The committee’s chairman, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), is not a fan. And section 702 could expire at the end of the year if Congress doesn’t extend it.

“I’m looking at it very carefully. I’ve never voted for it. I’m skeptical on what’s happened in the past and I’ve told him there has to be some positive changes before I change my position. I’ve gone through two or three classified briefings on it ... the administration is trying to make the case clearly that some of the worst activities in the past are going to be looked at honestly and changed,” Durbin told reporters Monday.

Today’s hearing is scheduled to feature testimony from deputy directors of the CIA, NSA and FBI, plus the general counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and a national security assistant attorney general. But don’t expect the Senate Judiciary to take any kind of leading role on crafting the extension legislation.

ALL ABOARD FOR AI — The Senate launches a trio of all-senators briefings on artificial intelligence today. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), joined by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), host the first session entitled “Where is AI today?” with an overview of the current state of artificial intelligence and what it’s currently capable of.

The briefing will be led by Antonio Torralba of MIT, whom Schumer touts as “one of the top machine-learning experts in the country, someone exceptionally skilled at breaking down all the complexities of AI in an accessible, simple way.”

INVESTIGATIONS ROUND UP — A lot is happening in the House investigation space. Here’s a quick run-through courtesy of Jordain:

• Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a subpoena for Devon Archer, a former Hunter Biden business associate, to appear for a deposition on June 16.
• Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Intel Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) are warning Secretary of State Antony Blinken that they could use a “compulsory process” — aka a subpoena — if he doesn’t answer outstanding questions by June 26 in their probe of a 2020 letter from 51 former intelligence officials about a New York Post story related to Hunter Biden.
• Republicans aren’t ruling out calling Special Counsel Jack Smith to testify. Jordan (the lawmaker) told Jordain (the reporter) that “we’re looking at all our options” but that the “American people probably do” want to see him appear before Congress.
• FBI Director Christopher Wray met with the House Intelligence Committee on Monday night. Despite the timing, the meeting was scheduled before Trump’s indictment and covered a range of topics, according to members, including the FISA section 702 provision that will be the subject of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday.

NOT QUITE A TEE PARTY — In a letter obtained by POLITICO addressed to Congress, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan defended the decision to join forces with the Saudi-backed rival league LIV Golf, saying inaction from lawmakers left him little other choice. Monahan did not specify what type of help he was hoping to receive from lawmakers, but some critics in Congress used their position to call for a federal probe into LIV Golf’s dealings in the U.S.

“During this intense battle, we met with several Members of Congress and policy experts to discuss the [Saudi sovereign Public Investment Fund]’s attempt to take over the game of golf in the United States, and suggested ways that Congress could support us in these efforts,” Monahan told senators in the letter obtained by Caitlin Oprysko and Hailey Fuchs.

WEST COAST, WE’RE CALLING — California readers, we have some questions for ya. If you are a California resident who has reached out to Sen. Dianne Feinstein or Sen. Alex Padilla to ask for casework assistance, POLITICO’s team in California wants to see emails or letters you’ve sent or received from the senators and their staff since 2022. Help us out with some reporting on constituent services in The Golden State. (And sorry that trivia is hard to win on Pacific Time. Keep playing!)

Sometimes you gotta … improvise with the Zoom set-up, amirite?

Sad desk lunch on steroids… We’ve seen sad desk lunches aplenty. But the sad Senate bathroom lunch is new low.

Lower chamber…McCarthy called the House “the minor league team to the Majors,” on the Hugh Hewitt show, suggesting that the Senate is the big leagues. Dang. All that “upper chamber” and “lower chamber” talk must have gotten to him.

Not just school groups… Nick spotted Crown Prince Alois of Liechtenstein walking through the halls on a tour of the Capitol.

Ambassadors in the House…Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd and British Ambassador to the U.S. Karen Pierce will be guests at New Democrats’ lunch today, a spokesperson said. They’re expected to discuss the trilateral relationship between the three countries, known as the AUKUS.

QUICK LINKS

The Most Belligerent Flack on Capitol Hill, from Charles Bethea at The New Yorker

UFO Whistleblower, Meet a Conspiracy-Loving Congress, from Matt Laslo at Wired

U.S. Spy Agencies Buy Vast Quantities of Americans’ Personal Data, U.S. Says, by Byron Tau and Dustin Volz at The Wall Street Journal

The Great Grift: How billions in COVID-19 relief aid was stolen or wasted, from Richard Lardner, Jennifer McDermott and Aaron Kessler at The Associated Press

TRANSITIONS

Alex Ortiz is now an SVP at Capitol Hill Consulting Group. He most recently was chief of staff for Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska).

Chris MacArthur is now legislative director for Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.). He previously was senior legislative assistant for Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.).

Baillee Brown has been promoted to be D.C. chief of staff for Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.). She most recently was his legislative director.

Giovanna Scirrotto is now press secretary and digital manager for Rep. Kathy Manning (D-N.C.). She most recently was press assistant.

Will Courtney has been promoted to be chief of staff for Rep. David Kustoff (R-Tenn.). He most recently was deputy chief of staff for Kustoff.

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House convenes at 10 a.m. for morning hour and noon for legislative business. First votes are expected at 1:30 p.m. and last votes are expected at 5 p.m. (We’ll see!)

The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. and will proceed with two votes at 11:30 a.m. — confirmation of Elizabeth Allen to be under secretary of State for public diplomacy and a motion to invoke cloture on Hernan D. Vera to be U.S. District Judge for the Central District of California. After caucus lunches, the Senate will vote at 2:15 p.m. on cloture on Jared Bernstein to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. At 5 p.m. could vote on the Vera and Bernstein confirmations.

AROUND THE HILL

10 a.m. House Ways and Means Committee markup of four bills, including one that would rename the standard deduction to the guaranteed deduction, and to add a bonus amount to the guaranteed deduction for taxable years 2024 and 2025. (1100 Longworth)

10 a.m. House Appropriations Committee markup of the chamber’s draft fiscal 2024 Military Construction-VA appropriations bill. (2359 Rayburn)

10:15 a.m. House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (Calif.) and Vice Chair Ted Lieu (Calif.) will speak to reporters after a closed Democratic Caucus meeting. (Studio A)

12:30 p.m. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and John Boozman (R-Ark), the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and Mathematica hold a policy briefing to discuss research in support of children living in military caregiver homes and the Helping Heroes Act. (SVC-200)

2 p.m. Senate Democratic and GOP leaders hold separate press conferences following closed door caucus lunches. (Ohio Clock Corridor)

2:30 p.m. House Administration Oversight Subcommittee hearing on oversight of the Office of Congressional Ethics. (1310 Longworth)

NDAA BLITZ: 10 a.m. House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee markup of the fiscal 2024 NDAA. (2118 Rayburn) 11 a.m. House Armed Services Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee markup of the fiscal 2024 NDAA. (2212 Rayburn) 12 p.m. House Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee markup of the fiscal 2024 NDAA. (2118 Rayburn) 1 p.m. House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee markup of the fiscal 2024 NDAA. (2212 Rayburn) 2:30 p.m. House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee markup of the fiscal 2024 NDAA. (2118 Rayburn) 3:30 p.m. House Armed Services Intelligence and Special Operations Subcommittee markup of the fiscal 2024 NDAA. (2212 Rayburn)

MONDAY’S WINNER: Wilson Golden correctly answered that UK elections are generally held on Thursdays because Sundays were historically reserved for church and there were concerns about holding elections on Friday, payday, when voters may choose other diversions. Thursday elections also aimed to allow a cabinet to be formed before business on Monday.

TODAY’S QUESTION: Which future President served as a pallbearer for a former President?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to [email protected]m.

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