RED LINES ON RULES  — Rep. Thomas Massie is used to standing alone and ruffling feathers within his own party, but he says he won’t be a constant naysayer or antagonist on the House Rules Committee — if leadership keeps its promises.

Massie’s (R-Ky.) appointment makes him part of a powerful trio on the Rules Committee with Freedom Caucus members Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.). They could tank legislation together, but Massie says that’s not his goal.

“We're just kind of there as the conscience,” he said, to make sure the promises are kept.

He won’t be angling to get action on the committee that hasn’t already been promised by leadership: not combining unrelated bills, giving members time to read bills before voting and an open amendment process.

“I would be reluctant to try to use the rules committee to achieve a legislative outcome, particularly if it doesn't represent a large majority of our caucus, ” Massie said Tuesday night.

“I don’t intend to ever use my position on there to hold somebody hostage or to hold legislation hostage.”

And he won’t be a blanket naysayer, either. Massie said he doesn’t plan to oppose rules simply because he is opposed to the underlying bill.

Massie talked to Rules Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) about his red lines on what kinds of rules he could live with — and what he won’t stand for.

He gave them examples of Rules that the House has adopted in recent years that he “could never vote for,” including using a rules resolution governing the Farm Bill to deprivilege a War Powers Resolution and a rule that tied together two bills on firearms background checks.

Massie has gotten guarantees from Cole and McCarthy that maneuvers like that won’t be pursued this Congress.

Bellwether boys: Massie envisions having himself, Norman and Roy on Rules could save GOP leadership some heartburn, instead of them causing it (which they each have over the years).

“For the next two years, five or six people can take down a rule on the floor. And that's out of 222. I think it's a lot better to have three people, if you have three people out of three who have a problem with something, you probably have a bigger problem on the floor than five out of 200,” Massie said.

While the House Rules Committee is likely to heat up, Massie sees it as a kind of pressure valve that could prevent bruising floor fights while Republicans hold such a slim majority.

“I’m like fourth down on the Rules Committee and this is the most powerful I’ve ever been,” Massie said with a laugh on Tuesday.

Massie isn’t shedding his singular flash as he takes on this role. He’s wearing a national debt clock counter that he built himself out of roofing copper, a microprocessor and a battery over the course of about three days. He pulls the data from “about 400 lines of code loaded into the treasury website.” Check it out.

GOOD MORNING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Wednesday, Jan. 25, where House Rules is about to get a dose of #SassyWithMassie.

HI MITCH, IT’S MITCH — Mitch Daniels is in Washington today as he explores a potential bid for Indiana's open Senate seat in 2024. Burgess and Adam Wren report that Daniels will meet with Senators today, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.).

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) declared last week that he’s running and has previously met with Daines and has the backing already of Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). Indiana is a pretty safe seat for Republicans, but a Banks vs. Daniels primary will put internal divisions within the party in the spotlight.

COMMITTEES: SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED — Building out committees in the new Congress is a painstaking task that is causing headaches in both chambers and parties this week. Conflicts are forcing members to vote yea and nay on where their colleagues land.

All in favor of Omar? House Democrats are getting in line to back Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in her fight to remain on the Foreign Affairs Committee, despite McCarthy’s pledge to oust her. Even her former critics within the Democratic caucus, especially Jewish colleagues who bristled at her comments on Israel, are stepping up in Omar’s defense.

They don’t have all the votes locked but Democratic leaders are aiming to have no defections when the full House votes on removing Omar from Foreign Affairs, which could be on the floor as soon as next week.

Republicans are already seeing a split and Democrats are targeting Republicans who have worked with Omar on HFAC. GOP Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) have said they won’t vote to strip Omar of her committee slot. Nicholas and Sarah have more on who Dems are targeting and where things stand.

Schmitt’s Judiciary splash: First-term Missouri Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt is making waves instead of friends this week, angling for a seat on the prized Senate Judiciary Committee, a move that could have cascading effects.

Senate Republicans will vote today on Schmitt’s bid. He’s been making calls to Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), to see if they’d be willing to give up their slots to allow him to join Judiciary – a bold move for the new guy. Part of the issue is that Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri already sits on Judiciary, a potential double dip for the Show Me State. Today’s vote is on a waiver to allow both Missourians to be seated.

Blackburn: "I’m the only Republican woman on the Senate Judiciary Committee and I don’t intend to come off the committee," she said Tuesday. And her take on Schmitt? "He needs to understand that these are decisions for the leader, for the committee on committees," she said.

Marianne and Burgess have the deetz on the ahead of today’s Senate GOP vote on the matter.

Plus, select committee selections: McCarthy names GOP members to run sweeping investigative panel and McCarthy taps GOP members to investigate Covid policies

$199 PROBLEMS — Rep. George Santos’ (R-N.Y.) campaign reported dozens of transactions that slid just below the threshold that triggers a requirement to preserve spending records, reports Jessica Piper. And that loose change adds up.

“FEC data shows more than 90 percent of House and Senate campaign committees around the country did not report a single transaction valued between $199 and $199.99 during the 2022 election cycle. Santos reported 40 of them,” writes Piper.

That is about half of all his campaign expenses.

Related read: George Santos Admits 500K Personal Loan to Campaign Wasn’t 'Personal', from Roger Sollenberger at The Daily Beast

SENATE SILLY SEASON — The Senate is a serious place, except when it is not. Sometimes absurdity wins out.

On Tuesday, Senators had jokes on jokes when approached with questions about classified documents found in former Vice President Mike Pence’s home. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) has some advice: "anyone who served in any of these roles as president and vice president that are still living would say: go check your closets." That’s not really a joke, just solid advice at this point.

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) joked: “I did receive notice from my attorney they’ve gone through my files and have found Jimmy Hoffa’s remains” tweeted Igor Bobic. (A deep cut from Romney’s Michigan roots.)

Sen. Kevin Cramer (D-N.D.): “Is Dan Quayle suddenly going through his golf bag to find out if he accidentally took something? I don’t know,” Cramer mused.

Are some worried about the flow of secret information, sure. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) mused: "I never knew it was possible to take classified documents out of the SCIF."

Related reads: Classified records pose conundrum stretching back to Carter, by AP’s Zeke Miller, Farnoush Amiri, Colleen Long and Jill Colvin

Earlier in the day, Senate Judiciary membersdelivered well-rehearsed references to Taylor Swift lyrics (shoutout to staffers who punched up those remarks). We know all these senators aren’t really Swifties.

Mr. Robot…Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) will debut a new speechwriter: ChatGPT.

Santos stakeout…Runs on Dunkin’

Freshman fun… Freshman members seemed to have a blast at the White House reception for them last night. Big night for “pics or it didn’t happen.”

QUICK LINKS 

Bob Good, emboldened after speaker fight, gears up for debt limit battle, from Meagan Flynn at The Washington Post

McHenry Warns Fellow GOP Leaders to Be Reasonable in Debt-Ceiling Talks, from Billy House at Bloomberg

House GOP freshmen boycott White House event over COVID protocols, from Andrew Solender and Victoria Knight at Axios

Signature drive begins to rid Alaska of ranked choice voting, from Liz Ruskin, Alaska Public Media

TRANSITIONS 

Dylan Stafford is deputy communications director for Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.). He was previously the press secretary for the Senate HELP Committee.

Jake Rascoff is now director of climate financial regulation at Ceres. He previously was legislative assistant and assistant legislative director for Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).

Kelsey Byerly is now a military legislative assistant for Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). She previously was a military legislative assistant for Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.).

Mark Strand will retire from the Congressional Institute at the end of the year. He has been president for 16 years.

Madison Hardimon is now Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.). He previously served as Legislative Director. Rey Anthony is now communications director and foreign policy adviser to Gimenez, after serving in the offices of Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.).

TODAY IN CONGRESS

The House convenes at 10 a.m. for morning hour debate and noon for legislative business.

The Senate convenes at 10 a.m.

AROUND THE HILL

10 a.m. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and other Republicans hold a news conference. (RNC HQ)

10:45 a.m. Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), Vice Chair Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and other House Democrats hold a press conference after the Dem Caucus meeting. (Studio A)

10:30 a.m. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and others hold a press conference to launch the Heartland Caucus. (Longworth B208)

1 p.m. Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) and others hold a press conference on the Sustainable Investment Caucus. (House Triangle)

1:30 p.m. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) hold a press conference on the GOP national sales tax proposal. (Senate Studio)

2 p.m. Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) hold a press conference on the Debt Ceiling. (Senate Studio)

2 p.m. Reps. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) and James Comer (R-Ky.) and others hold a press conference on the REINS Act. (Studio A)

TRIVIA

TUESDAY’S WINNER: Staz Guntek correctly answered that the House Republicans FY2012 budget proposal was called "Path to Prosperity."

TODAY’S QUESTION from Staz: Which speaker of the House had the most political affiliations during their House tenure?

The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to [email protected]

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