THE ONES TO WATCH AFTER THE SPENDING BATTLE Government funding has dominated the conversation on Capitol Hill since the beginning of last year. But now that there’s a final spending deal, lawmakers are close to moving on. Which raises the natural question: What’s next? Well, as we reported last week, three big bills stuck in legislative purgatory have bipartisan support but aren’t moving ahead – as leadership blames spending talks for the holdup. Now that funding is close to its last votes of the fiscal year, we’ve got our eyes on three senators in particular: Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.): When it comes to the future of the TikTok legislation that passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, look no further than the chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Because her committee has jurisdiction over TikTok, Cantwell’s next moves will play an outsized role in determining the future of the House bill that would force a sale — or potential ban – of TikTok, which is owned by a Beijing-based company. Senate leaders flashed yellow lights on the House bill after it passed with more than 300 votes earlier this month. Cantwell said last week she hoped to move on a bill "soon.” But it remains to be seen whether that bill will look more like the House’s specific measure or her own panel’s proposal, which takes a broader approach by empowering the Commerce Department to ban foreign-owned apps like TikTok. Meanwhile, Cantwell is also facing questions after POLITICO has reported that some of her former staffers are lobbying for the social media platform. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho): As the top GOP member of the Senate Finance Committee, Crapo has pumped the breaks on a House-passed bipartisan tax bill that would expand the child tax credit as well as a trio of business tax breaks, among other changes. Crapo has been clashing with his House counterpart, Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.), a spat that has held up the legislation. Smith and Senate Finance Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) negotiated the House-passed legislation without involving Crapo. Now Crapo is specifically pointing to changes that Senate Republicans want, including dropping language that would allow people claiming the child credit to use their previous year’s income to calculate the benefit. Democrats were hoping to get the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk before the tax season but are hoping now they can do it by April … when the filing deadline will have already passed. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.): The former congressman turned first-term senator has strong ties to House Republican leadership and former President Donald Trump, making him a bigger-than-anticipated player when it comes to the fate of Ukraine aid in the House. A senator getting involved in House procedure? Yes, you read that right. Mullin is part of a group of conservatives who have been pitching Republican leaders — including Trump — on turning Ukraine assistance into a “no-interest, waivable loan.” As our friends at Playbook reported Tuesday, some of Ukraine’s Republican defenders are shopping this idea with Speaker Mike Johnson, who told them to put a proposal together and test the idea with House Republicans. If the conference buys it, look for House forward motion on the matter. And keep an eye on what Mullin tells Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell. — Daniella Diaz
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