The Hill Articles: December 21, 2017

Trump meets with Priebus to strategize about 2018 midterms: report ICE approves plan to separate families at border: report Trump deputy chief of staff to leave White House in early 2018 CNN commentator: Trump’s aid warning over UN vote ‘diplomatic prostitution’ Schiff: Nunes ‘doing the work of the White House’ Sessions rescinds Obama-era letter to local courts on fines and fees for poor defendants Puerto Rico gov organizing Latinos to vote against Republicans in 2018 Jill Stein: 2015 Russia dinner with Putin was a ‘non-event’ Spicer: Tom Hanks should ‘take the lead’ and talk to Trump MSNBC host slams GOP over FBI attacks: ‘It’s making me crazy’ Trump delivers purple heart to wounded soldier at Walter Reed Senate has spent more than $1.45M settling harassment, discrimination cases in last 20 years Overnight Defense: Congress passes spending bill to avoid shutdown | $4.6B for missile defense, repairing Navy ships | Court rejects request to halt transgender recruiting Castro says he’ll continue to lead Cuban government until April Left-leaning media exec on ‘indefinite leave’ over sexual harassment allegations Dem: How many floors of FBI will GOP burn to protect Trump? Senate ends first year under Trump by voting to prevent shutdown Overnight Regulation: Researchers sue EPA over advisory board rules | Consumer bureau to revisit mortgage, prepaid card rules | Court denies request to halt transgender recruiting | FCC proposes record fine on Sinclair FBI deputy confirmed to Congress that Comey told him about Trump loyalty pledge: report Overnight Health Care: McConnell says Senate probably moving on from ObamaCare repeal | 8.8M sign up for ObamaCare | Second judge halts Trump rollback of birth control rule Overnight Finance: Congress passes stopgap funding bill to avoid shutdown | Trump to sign tax bill Friday | Consumer bureau to revise mortgage, prepaid card rules | Goldman to get digital currency trading desk Hispanic Dems make last-minute DACA appeal to Schumer Gingrich attends funeral of disgraced US cardinal in Rome Overnight Tech: FCC floats record fine for Sinclair | Senators criticize DHS face scans | Facebook drops ‘disputed news tags’ Consumer bureau to revise mortgage, prepaid card rules from Cordray era $4.6B for missile defense, damaged Navy ships included in stopgap spending bill Senate poised to punt on disaster aid Ethics panel expands investigation into Farenthold Overnight Cybersecurity: Senators unveil election security bills | North Korea denies WannaCry role As a nation, what better investment opportunity do we have than our children? House Republicans defend interview with FBI deputy RNC launching multimillion-dollar effort to hit Dems on tax reform in 2018 Overnight Energy: Interior halts study on offshore safety | Researchers sue over EPA advisory board rules | Regulator considers changes to gas pipeline policy House panel plans bill requiring lawmakers to pay for sexual harassment settlements Goldman Sachs to establish digital currency trading desk: report Eric Schmidt to step down as executive chairman of Google’s parent company Judge dismisses lawsuit against Trump over Emoluments Clause Trump halts funding for offshore drilling safety study President Trump’s incredible friendship with Israel is one to applaud Papa John’s CEO to step down after NFL protest comments State Dept. to scale back US operations for refugee resettlement: report White House: Trump will likely sign tax bill Friday Now is the time to fix Ex-Im Bank Senators blast DHS facial scanning at airports House passes measure to avoid government shutdown Listen: Congress nears shutdown deadline, and today’s latest news Ex-CIA director: Trump shows ‘qualities usually found in narcissistic, vengeful autocrats’ Two Americans plead guilty for attacking protesters at Turkish embassy in DC Pence makes surprise trip to Afghanistan Second judge halts Trump rollback of ObamaCare birth control rule Stephen Bannon calls former President George H.W. Bush a ‘pervert’ Puerto Rico needs to repeal the outdated Jones Act Trump officials make case for border wall Poll: Majority disapprove of Trump’s handling of Russia probe Fox military analyst: ‘Nikki Haley may end up as our first female president’ Trust between law enforcement and communities is key to public safety Graham: GOP leaders ‘mistaken’ to think there won’t be ObamaCare repeal in 2018 All’s not well in paradise — if you have a timeshare Bannon joked that Trump is like ‘an 11-year-old child’: report Researchers sue EPA over advisory committee policy Pentagon’s new defense strategy won’t mention climate change Repeal of the ObamaCare mandate is a selfish and short-term plan New pro-Trump PAC ad thanks Trump ‘for letting us say Merry Christmas again’ Wells Fargo says spokesman made mistake de-linking tax cuts from pay hike Warren blasts DeVos on reducing loan forgiveness McConnell: Senate probably moving on from ObamaCare repeal Trump visits US troops at Walter Reed Higher ed reform starts with redefining accreditation and debt repayment Court denies Trump attempt to halt transgender military enlistment 8.8 million sign up for ObamaCare, nearly matching last year DOJ influenced by intelligence report in requiring RT to register as a foreign agent Iced tea company’s stock triples after move to digital currency This past year Trump’s actions showed a profound misunderstanding of Islam Fannie, Freddie allowed to hold limited $3 billion capital buffer WATCH: Moderate Dem says infrastructure could be one area to work with Trump State: Trump’s foreign policy team exploring options after UN vote Pelosi on delaying DACA fix: January is ‘this year extended’ Compared to today’s government seizure laws, Robin Hood was an amateur Planned Parenthood asks Supreme Court to review abortion law Pentagon names Senate staffer to lead major office restructuring Corker on media: I have ‘newfound empathy’ for Trump Common-sense next steps for US-Cuba agricultural trade National Governors Association: Short-term fix for children’s insurance program insufficient America needs Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base to fight the war on terrorism ObamaCare taxes won’t be delayed until next year ObamaCare is set to take away any gains made by tax reform Population shifts show Sun Belt poised to gain in Congress Lawmakers approve four Pentagon assistant secretaries State Department spokeswoman thanks reporters Rubio: US should re-evaluate role as top UN donor due to ‘anti-Americanism’ Feinstein to oppose stopgap funding bill over DACA, children’s health program Facebook drops ‘disputed’ tags for news stories Pelosi: Trump delusional to think he repealed ObamaCare US economy grew at a 3.2 percent clip in third quarter Republicans in Congress are colluding with Democrats on the budget North Korea: US WannaCry accusation ‘reckless’ Pentagon: Russia intentionally violating Syria conflict agreement How increasing regulation will unleash drone-based potential SEC charges alleged operators of $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme Regulators to consider changing gas pipeline approval policy Franken urges senators to ‘stand up for truth’ in final floor speech Hannity slams NBC News coverage while citing NBC News story in same tweet Pharmacy benefit managers should share more drug company discounts to consumers McConnell hits Sanders for removing help for home state college from tax bill FCC proposes record $13.4 million fine on Sinclair Ryan, Hatch sign GOP tax bill The Hill’s 12:30 Report Trump inauguration protesters found not guilty Opioid overdoses on the rise: CDC Turning the key to action against climate change UN votes to condemn Trump’s Jerusalem decision Canada to abstain from UN vote condemning Trump Jerusalem move Is America still a champion of democracy in the Trump era? Bernie Sanders and the progressive renaissance of 2018 and 2020 US sanctions top Myanmar general, others under Magnitsky Act Greens launch ads against Trump environmental pick Cuba extends legislative period, delaying Castro transition: report If you want to end sexual violence, start with prisons McConnell: Entitlement reform not on 2018 Senate agenda Bipartisan group of lawmakers backs new election security bill Trump has ‘no intentions’ of firing Mueller, White House says ‘Sesame Street’ receives $100 million grant to help Syrian refugee children Detroit luring Amazon with promise of large tax breaks: report UN may vote Friday on new North Korea sanctions: report Haley warns against Jerusalem resolution ahead of UN vote House Republicans close in on deal to keep government open Pentagon health nominee withdraws after comments on gun control Nicolle Wallace on GOP standing with Trump: ‘Are Republicans dead inside?’ Don’t let our broken politics contaminate our courtrooms Dems urging ‘no’ votes on GOP disaster aid package Fox’s Ingraham: Maybe it’s time to ‘cast away’ Tom Hanks A vulnerable power grid: Let’s invest in critical national infrastructure Tax bill demonstrates our nation’s upside down fiscal priorities Human rights groups withdraw government complaint against Ukrainian oligarch after its accuracy is challenged Union sues over Facebook job ads that exclude older people VA policy allowed hiring of workers with revoked medical licenses McConnell: Trump is ‘doing a good job’ Why NASA might outsource the return to the moon Trump accuses Democrats of trying to force shutdown Chappelle to Trump voters in new special: ‘You are poor. He’s fighting for me’ Mattis visits troops at Guantanamo: report Mitch McConnell: Stephen Bannon ‘not a factor’ and ‘has no impact’ Erdoğan to Trump: ‘You cannot buy Turkey’s democratic will’ Trump SoHo Hotel becomes The Dominick Hotel Virginia election board to pick winner of tied race by random draw ‘Loophole for billionaires’ stays in code, undermines tax reform Roberts calls for examination of employee protections from misconduct: report Lawmakers to Saudi, UAE ambassadors: Lift Yemen blockade immediately Mueller looking into adoption group funded by Russia: report Watch live: UN holds emergency meeting, new vote on Trump’s Jerusalem decision Koch network spending millions on ads to support GOP tax plan Ivanka Trump: Corker had ‘real integrity’ during tax negotiations America needs a solution to bring back stolen intellectual property GOP includes $2.8B for children’s health-care funding in stopgap bill Charlottesville renames street after woman who was killed in white nationalist rally Key Trump adviser regularly promoted far-right conspiracy theories: report The US is dead broke and the tax bill does nothing to help matters Meadows: ‘I don’t see a shutdown happening’ Let’s bring hope, homes, and forever families to foster children this holiday season Conway predicts small business boom after GOP tax bill’s passage Trump praises ‘Fox & Friends’ for being named ‘most influential’ because he watches it Puerto Rico needs Congress to be bolder on disaster relief Aide: Trump plans Jan. 3 tax bill signing Trump hits media over negative tax bill coverage: They’re desperate to please ‘their Democrat bosses’ DOJ prosecutors asking FBI agents to explain Uranium One evidence: report Poll: Trump, GOP leadership drag down Republicans on generic ballot Car plows into pedestrians in Australia’s Melbourne Stop the outsourcing of national security to social media Broken health-care pledge tests Collins-McConnell relationship Listen: Congress set to punt on legislative fights, and more of today’s news Gutiérrez, Dems worry leaders may cave in ‘Dreamer’ talks Congress, don’t go home without preserving community health centers Clinton mulls role in 2018 midterms