Plans for impeachment get an surprising nudge — from Republicans — however for now, Pence stands with Trump. It’s Wednesday, and that is your politics tip sheet. Enroll right here to get On Politics in your inbox each weekday.
Trump toured areas the place a border wall is being constructed close to Alamo, Texas, yesterday.
Bernie Sanders will management the ‘reconciliation’ course of in a divided Senate.
A below-the-radar story in Washington is that Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia has simply turn into probably the most highly effective man on the town. With the Senate cut up 50-50 and Democrats in management, their most conservative member might discover himself within the place of taking part in Solomon on main legislative objects.
However a intently divided Senate additionally raises the significance of one other determine: Senator Bernie Sanders. That’s as a result of, because the chamber’s price range committee chairman, he controls the method of “reconciliation,” whereby sure sorts of legal guidelines will be handed by a easy majority and can’t be filibustered.
Because the incoming head of the price range committee, Sanders might be able to exert main affect over a variety of home coverage measures. Excessive on that checklist might be passing one other financial restoration package deal, and Sanders has expressed his intention to hunt a further $1,400 in stimulus funds for Individuals who not too long ago obtained $600 federal checks.
“I imagine that the disaster is of monumental severity and we’ve received to maneuver as quickly as we will,” Sanders advised Alan Rappeport and Jim Tankersley for a brand new article.
“Underline the phrase aggressive,” he stated. “Begin on the market.”
In a polarized political period, the reconciliation course of has turn into more and more fashionable when attempting to go main laws. Congress used it to go tax cuts below Trump and President George W. Bush, and to go the ultimate model of President Barack Obama’s well being care legislation.
Joe Biden welcomed Sanders’s enter as he crafted his platform forward of the overall election, however he finally didn’t provide the senator a spot in his cupboard, as many on the left had urged him to do.
Biden stated final week that he had thought-about Sanders for labor secretary however had determined to maintain him within the Senate in order that Democrats might be assured they’d retain their majority.
On Politics can be accessible as a e-newsletter. Enroll right here to get it delivered to your inbox.
Is there something you suppose we’re lacking? Something you need to see extra of? We’d love to listen to from you. Electronic mail us at onpolitics@nytimes.com.