Today, Next Week on the Hill: House Dems Brace for Close Vote on Tobacco Measure

House lawmakers will close out their work week with final passage of a comprehensive tobacco-related measure later this morning. The bill — which seeks to curb the use of e-cigarettes among youths and promulgate further regulations on flavored tobacco products — is expected to pass narrowly after some Democrats expressed concerns that the legislation would lead to discrimination. The Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act also faces a difficult path forward after the Trump administration issued a veto threat yesterday, arguing that it contains provisions that are not supported by available evidence regarding tobacco harm reduction and use habits.

Meanwhile, the race for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination is entering a critical phase of contests, starting this Saturday in South Carolina. Recent polls show that former Vice President Joe Biden is leading the field in the Palmetto State, with current frontrunner Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) projected to earn a share of South Carolina’s delegates. Next week, 14 states will hold primary elections on “Super Tuesday,” providing more than 1,300 delegates at stake. Sen. Sanders currently leads the field with 45 pledged delegates, followed by former South Bend, IN Mayor Pete Buttigieg (25) and Vice President Biden (15).

Looking ahead to next week, both chambers will resume legislative business on Monday, Mar. 2. As Congressional appropriators work through the weekend finalize an emergency spending package to bolster coronavirus response efforts, consideration of the supplemental funding bill could occur as early as the middle of next week in the House. The final figure for the measure is expected to fall within the $6-8 billion range after lawmakers expressed bipartisan concerns that President Donald Trump’s $2.5 billion request would be inadequate.