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OMB V. GAO: in OMB director Russ Vought's prepared testimony, he notes that while he's requesting more full-time employees and money for OMB, the request is "substantially lower" than the GAO's request. GAO has been investigating OMB's freezing of federal funds.

Russ Vought says Steve Davis is currently leading DOGE but that they're in the midst of "establishing leadership on an ongoing basis." Also says the vision for DOGE is to turn those employees into in-house consultants for the agencies.

WOMACK to Russ Vought: Where's the budget? Vought: We believe you have the budget.

Tough questioning now from House Approps ranking member Rosa DeLauro on Vought's decision to take down a public tracker of funds appropriated by Congress. DeLauro had fought to pass the law to require the apportionments website, which Vought took down.

Protect Democracy Project and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington have filed separate lawsuits asking a federal judge to require OMB to post apportionment info again. Ruling could come any day. Background here: newsfromthestates.com/article/lawsui…

VOUGHT says there will "perhaps" be more rescissions package coming. He said if the vote goes well on this package they'll send more.

ON PEPFAR, Vought says the rescissions package contains a cut to the program but not to "life-saving treatment." Sen. Susan Collins in particular has said she opposes PEPFAR cuts.

Update: Cardinals and speaker will meet at 9 am tomorrow. They’ll discuss subcommittees allocations, ways to find “additional savings,” Approps Chair Tom Cole says

NEWS in Punchbowl News PM: The House Carryout and Members Dining Room will close for up to TWO YEARS starting in late July or August. This is HUGE NEWS for our core audience. punchbowl.news/archive/6425-p… reporting by John Bresnahan

News: Freedom Caucus will meet w/ Mike Lee + other Senate conservatives tonight about the GOP’s reconciliation bill. Chair Andy Harris: “We just want to know the state of play. It’s clear if any spending reduction is rolled back in the Senate, it’s not gonna pass the House.”

Russ Vought was unmoved Wednesday by House appropriators’ plea for more information about Trump’s budget request. His message to them? Make do with what we gave you. Samantha Handler has more from today's hearing: punchbowl.news/article/financ…

CRAPO says after White House tax mtg that GOP senators’ priorities and Trump’s priorities were discussed Asked about SALT changes, Crapo points out there aren’t NY/CA/NJ R’s in the Senate: “So there’s not a strong mood in the Senate Republican Caucus right now to do $353 billion

SCALISE and JOHNSON just went into the cardinals meeting this morning. Top GOP appropriators are discussing subcommittee allocations, how to move forward with their bills. Some R’s were frustrated yesterday at the lack of a full budget from the White House

NEW: GOP Chairs of the SALT Caucus KIM and GARBARINO say the path to tax bill passing the House “runs through the SALT Caucus” More from their statement responding to Senate GOP threatening SALT deal: “When did taxing income that’s already been taxed become a Republican ideal?

NEWS: Senate commerce committee recon title out. 800 MHz of new spectrum with nat sec exclusions. Includes AI moratorium albeit in new format. Conditions states on not regulating AI to receive federal broadband money commerce.senate.gov/services/files…

NEW: The Senate parliamentarian ruled that Republicans' retaliatory tax hitting back at "unfair foreign taxes" falls under the Senate Finance Committee's jurisdiction, per multiple sources That erases a potential procedural problem for the new tax regime (known as Sec 899),

Baby’s first word is SALT

Patty Murray warned the Trump administration’s $9 billion rescissions package may jeopardize the bipartisan appropriations process. Samantha Handler has more: punchbowl.news/article/senate…

NEWS: Spectrum troubles not resolved yet. A spokesperson for Deb Fischer tells me the commerce spectrum plan "does not accurately reflect" the agreement between her and other hawks and Ted Cruz. She wants changes to the text This went out first to our PB tech subscribers

Really good story on Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo, the low-key senator & longtime McConnell confidant at the center of making Trump’s “big beautiful bill” a reality. From Laura Weiss John Bresnahan & a small assist from me.