The Latest on the Senate GOP Leadership Race

The race to replace Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is beginning to take shape ahead of the highly-anticipated November 2024 leadership elections. Notably, Senate GOP Whip John Thune (R-SD) said yesterday that he “hopes” to be elevated to the position of GOP Leader in the fall, joining former Senate GOP Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) in the race to replace Leader McConnell. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) is also reportedly gearing up for another bid to lead the Senate GOP Conference, and an announcement could come as soon as this week. Meanwhile, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), the Senate GOP’s third-ranking official and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, is set to pass on a bd for GOP leader and instead run for Republican Whip.

— CONGRESS GAVELS BACK IN TODAY. The House and Senate will be back in action today as lawmakers look to quickly pass a six-bill “minibus” spending package ahead of Friday’s first government funding deadline. Consideration of the funding package is currently slated to take place first in the House under suspension of the rules tomorrow, followed by the Senate at some point prior to the deadline. For today, the House will consider 14 bills under suspension of the rules, largely out of the Energy and Commerce (E&C) and Homeland Security Committees. This includes a bill that would reauthorize the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), as well as a measure that would issue new reporting requirements on cybersecurity threats to the 988 Suicide and Crisis lifeline. Meanwhile, the Senate will resume consideration of pending presidential nominations, starting with Ronald Keohane’s nomination to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.