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Video of the Day
Vice President Pence Participates in a Swearing-in for the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman


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Today’s Hill Action
Senate Floor Schedule
The Senate reconvenes at 10 a.m and is expected to proceed to a disapproval resolution (H J Res 67) that would nullify a Labor Department rule that exempts certain local government-administered retirement plans for non-government workers from select federal restrictions and requirements for pension plans.
H J Res 67 – A joint resolution disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Labor relating to savings arrangements established by qualified State political subdivisions for non-governmental employees.
Committee Hearings
9:30 a.m.: Wilson Nomination
9:30 a.m.: Pending Business
10:00 a.m.: Russian Intelligence Activities
10:00 a.m.: Russian Influence/Unconventional Warfare in Ukraine
10:00 a.m.: Foreign Affairs Policy
2:30 p.m.: Alaska Energy/Mineral Production Infrastructure Improvements
TBA Acosta Nomination
TBA Perdue Nomination
House Floor Schedule
The House reconvenes at 9 a.m. for legislative business. The chamber is consider a bill (HR 1431) that would modify the EPA’s Science Advisory Board.
HR 1431 – EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act
Committee Hearings
9:00 a.m.: Private Property Rights Protection Act
10:00 a.m.: SBA Entrepreneurial Development Programs

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Trump Travel Ban Blocked for as Long as Court Battle Goes On
President Donald Trump was again barred from enforcing his revised travel ban on six mostly Muslim nations as he faces a court battle that will stretch for months, perhaps years.

The White House’s effort to “sanitize” the president’s original order failed to make “genuine changes” to avoid violating the Constitution’s ban on religious bias, a Hawaii federal judge ruled.

The ruling may cause further consternation for an administration struggling to enact some of the president’s central campaign platforms. It’s yet another victory for states, advocacy groups, technology companies and universities that successfully challenged the first executive order and its replacement as being at odds with nation’s founding principles and hurting the economy.
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GOP Obamacare Plan Suffers Blow With Rejection by Key Republican
On the fourth floor of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, the staff of the White House chief technology officer has been virtually deleted, down from 24 members before the election to, by Friday, only one.

Scores of departures by scientists and Silicon Valley technology experts who advised Mr. Trump’s predecessor have all but wiped out the larger White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.  Mr. Trump has not yet named his top advisers on technology or science, and so far, has made just one hire: Michael Kratsios, the former chief of staff for Peter Thiel, the Silicon Valley investor and one of the president’s wealthiest supporters, as the deputy chief technology officer.

Neither Mr. Kratsios, who has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Princeton, nor anyone else still working in the science and technology office regularly participates in Mr. Trump’s daily briefings, as they did for President Barack Obama.
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Trump threatens to ‘fight’ Freedom Caucus in midterms
President Trump on Thursday launched an attack against the conservative House Freedom Caucus, vowing to “fight” them in the 2018 midterm elections.

Trump warned that the group could “hurt the entire Republican agenda” if its members clash with party leaders, lumping them together with Democrats on a list of his top political targets. The president is escalating an internal party feud that could have grave consequences for the rest of his legislative agenda.

He appeared to hint at the possibility of encouraging primary challenges against Freedom Caucus members, the vast majority of whom represent solid Republican districts. “The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don’t get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!” the president tweeted.
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Until tomorrow,
Lobbyit.com