GOOD EVENING! Welcome to Inside Congress, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Thursday, June 13, where we think Trump’s birthday cake looked pretty good. GOP SENATORS SAY 'HOLD UP' ON HOLD TACTICS Senate Republicans are expressing mixed views on the hardball tactics that a half-dozen conservatives are threatening to deploy in protest of Trump’s Manhattan felony convictions last month. The group, led by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), says it will block speedy consideration for nearly four dozen Biden nominees for judgeships, U.S. attorney postings and other slots. “Keep the process moving within reason,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in mild rebuke. “Anything we can do, they can do. You gotta think long term.” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), one of the chamber’s most moderate GOP members, also said the blanket hold was “not something that I [am] personally engaged in” but noted that Biden has selected “plenty of problematic nominees” in her view. Vance, a rumored contender to be Trump’s running mate, is building on a less-specific promise to snarl the chamber made by Senate conservatives in the immediate aftermath of the May 31 verdict. Among the targeted nominees are normally uncontroversial picks such as Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D-Calif.) selection to represent the United States at the U.N. General Assembly and former Rep. Charlie Crist’s (D-Fla.) bid to sit on the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization. Some other Republicans who have not joined Vance’s letter nevertheless expressed sympathy for the aims. “The only reason why I'm not on it is because you have to be available to go on the floor at any moment to personally object,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), another rumored VP pick, told Inside Congress, citing his work on the Intelligence Committee. “Every chance I get to support [Vance] in that effort, especially that list they outlined, I intend to support.” — Anthony Adragna SCHUMER PLANS TO KEEP THE ABORTION VOTES COMING A couple of failed cloture votes isn’t going to stop Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from calling up legislation that would protect women’s reproductive health, he said Thursday. “We're not going to stop fighting, and you're going to see some more things coming,” Schumer said in a news conference after a failed vote on a Democratic bill that would codify federal protections for in vitro fertilization. Democrats are standing by Schumer’s decision to schedule votes on issues related to women’s reproductive health, whether it’s related to abortion access or in vitro fertilization access. “This is a discussion that we're going to keep going all through the fall, for sure,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the No. 3 party leader. “You can't blow off the concerns of women in this country. Our reproductive freedom, it's not some side issue. It's the main issue.” The IVF legislation is Schumer’s latest attempt to squeeze Republicans ahead of November on an issue where they appear to be out of step with public opinion nationally. Republican Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) tried to pass their own legislation that would have stripped federal Medicaid funding from states that ban IVF services, but it was blocked by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) argued that by breaking the votes down into “pieces,” it made it harder for Republicans to “hide” behind objections to certain reproductive rights. — Anthony Adragna and Daniella Diaz
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