A tale of two chambers

Plus: The youngest Democratic and GOP state party chairs

View this email online Sept. 9, 2023 This week, we looked at the Senate's return and the looming funding fight. Plus: Biden's trip to Asia and Chris Christie's interview with The NPR Politics Podcast.  The Big Picture: The coming spending showdown Chris McGrath/Getty Images Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer ended this week by setting up the first foray into the government funding fight that will almost certainly dominate the next several weeks in Washington. The New York Democrat set up the process for the Senate to debate, and possibly pass three bipartisan spending bills next week -- as hardline Republicans in the House are threatening to block even short-term spending bills to keep the government open. Two chambers, two completely separate spending universes. Over in the House, the far-right Freedom Caucus recently put out a list of demands on spending that range from deep cuts to annual funding bills to ending aid to Ukraine. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif, holds a razor-thin majority and the group is threatening to tank legislation that fails to meet those demands.  Senate Republicans are not thrilled. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has repeatedly rejected House plans to violate an agreement McCarthy struck with Biden over spending levels. Appropriators are pushing for bipartisanship and rank-and-file Republicans are frustrated. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., summed up what many Senate Republicans were saying this week. “In a divided government, nobody's going to be totally enthralled or happy with everything in the final outcome,” Rounds told Capitol Hill reporters. “We need to move forward with a true appropriations process. We, the American people, deserve that.” -- Kelsey Snell, NPR congressional correspondent Newsletter continues after sponsor message ICYMI: Top Stories Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images A strategic trip to Asia: This weekend President Biden is traveling to India and Vietnam, two stops that signal his administration is committed to countering China’s influence in the region – even if that means forging friendships with countries that do not fully share the U.S. emphasis on human rights or press freedoms. Read more from White House correspondent Asma Khalid, who’s traveling with Biden.  Congress returns: It’s going to be a busy September on Capitol Hill. It's not just that a government shutdown is looming, and efforts to keep the lights on could be derailed by fights over disaster relief and Ukraine aid. House Republicans might also move forward with an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, military promotions remained blocked in the Senate and a bipartisan group of lawmakers want to tackle artificial intelligence legislation. McConnell’s health update: All eyes were on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell this week, after freezing at a press conference for the second time in two months. McConnell addressed his health in a closed-door meeting with Senate Republicans Wednesday, and shut down any further questions from the press. So far the conference appears united behind him, but the incidents have sparked conversation about what a post-McConnell Senate looks like.  Alabama’s congressional map struck down (again): Last year, a federal court ruled that Alabama’s congressional map likely violated the Voting Rights Act because it contained only one district where Black voters had a reasonable chance to elect their preferred candidate. The court ordered the state to create an additional opportunity district, the Supreme Court upheld that ruling, and the Republican-controlled legislature ... didn’t do that. So this week, a panel of judges threw out the state's latest map, which they say dilutes the voting power of Black voters. Read why they said the state’s actions left them “deeply troubled” and “disturbed.” Is Chris Christie a man without a party? The former New Jersey governor is running for president in 2024, with a platform that’s out of step with many of the Republican voters he’s trying to attract. He spoke with the NPR Politics Podcast about why he’s running, his views on abortion and the criminal indictments against former President Donald Trump.  New party leadership: What do a Zoomer from a small town and an Alabama butterfly farmer have in common? They’re the youngest Democratic and Republican state party chairs in the country. NPR’s Elena Moore and Ximena Bustillo talked to them about how they’re courting new voters ahead of 2024. — Lexie Schapitl, NPR Politics producer You Make The NPR Network Possible.  Your financial support is the NPR Network's greatest strength. When you donate to the NPR Network, you help keep journalists on the ground. You lift up voices and stories too often ignored and help keep media independent from the influence of the powerful. Show your support today with a donation. It takes all of us. Help today.  Donate Now Going Deeper: Remember 9/11? Most Military Recruits Don't Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Monday marks the 22 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Most new recruits to active duty military service were either very young or not yet born when the attacks took place. NPR Pentagon Correspondent Tom Bowman joins Miles Parks and Susan Davis on the NPR Politics Podcast to talk about how military recruitment is changing to adapt to a post-War on Terror landscape. 🎧 Listen to the episode — Heidi Glenn, NPR digital editor The Shot: A Scorching U.S. Open Sara Stier/Getty Images Tennis pros have been competing in the U.S. Open in Queens, N.Y., and it's been really, really hot. Players have been struggling through 90 degree temps and high humidity. And climate change is only making heat waves more extreme and more common.  Daniil Medvedev, seen here, sounded the alarm during his quarterfinal match Wednesday, warning "one player is gonna die." But this weekend may bring some relief: highs are expected to be in the lower 80s for the final rounds (go Coco).  — Lexie Schapitl, NPR Politics producer Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from St. Louis Public Radio (edit station). What do you think of today's email? 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