Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. Happy Tuesday! Our newsletter gets you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Co-creators are Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver (CLICK HERE to subscribe!). On Twitter, find us at @asimendinger and @alweaver22.







Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisHundreds of lawyers from nation's oldest African American sorority join effort to fight voter suppression Biden picks up endorsement from progressive climate group 350 Action 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing MORE’s (D-Calif.) strong debate performance last week launched her into the top tier of the Democratic primary race as former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Hillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio MORE took a major hit and saw his lead almost entirely evaporate.

According to a CNN poll released late Monday afternoon, Harris more than doubled her support since May, jumping to 17 percent from 8 percent after Thursday’s debate in Miami, where she was onstage alongside Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersThe Hill's Campaign Report: Trump faces backlash after not committing to peaceful transition of power Bernie Sanders: 'This is an election between Donald Trump and democracy' The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump stokes fears over November election outcome MORE (I-Vt.). Meanwhile, Biden now finds himself at 22 percent among registered voters who are Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents after his 14-point lead over Sanders plummeted to 5 points over Harris.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Democratic senators ask inspector general to investigate IRS use of location tracking service MORE (D-Mass.) sits at 15 percent, while Sanders rakes in 14 percent. No one else in the 25-candidate primary field hits 5 percent.

The poll is the second to show Harris on the rise, but the first that firmly puts her in the top tier. It’s also not the only metric that shows her evident ascent. According to Mike Lillis and Cristina Marcos, Harris is now leading the pack in the fight for endorsements from the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) after challenging Biden last week to explain his Senate record on race and opposition to school busing.

Endorsements from CBC members, a valuable commodity, have taken on special significance this presidential cycle, as President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE has injected issues of race into the election in unprecedented fashion and the crowded Democratic field is fighting to attract support among black voters, who will prove crucial in early primary states such as South Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas.

While Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), the highest-ranking CBC member, has withheld his endorsement, many others are weighing in left and right. Harris recently won the support of Rep. Bobby Rush Bobby Lee RushCongress should investigate OAS actions in Bolivia Rep. Bobby Rush introduces legislation focused on addressing racism, lack of diversity in the federal government House Democrat introduces bill to replace Confederate monuments nationwide MORE (D-Ill.) and Rep. Frederica Wilson Frederica Patricia WilsonHarris calls it 'outrageous' Trump downplayed coronavirus House passes bill establishing commission to study racial disparities affecting Black men, boys Florida county official apologizes for social media post invoking Hitler MORE (D-Fla.).

While the top four aspirants have separated themselves, the rest of the Democratic field continues look for openings, and some are firing at one another.

Rather than going after front-runners, some candidates who made some of the sharpest attacks in last week’s debates linger on the undercard. As Reid Wilson reports, debate experts say that’s a healthy strategy to try to stand out from the crowd.

With many more debates ahead, a lesser-known candidate can stand taller by taking on the contender who’s an inch rather than a foot taller. The lesson ahead of the second round of debates at the end of the month in Detroit is that no presidential contender in the shifting Democratic primary is seen as safe.

While candidates are looking ahead to July 30 and July 31 in Detroit, some are looking down the road to the following debate in mid-September, when the threshold rises for candidate inclusion. According to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), candidates must hit 2 percent in four polls and have 130,000 unique donors, including 400 unique donors from 20 states. The polling and unique donor figures are doubled from the Miami and Detroit debates, forcing campaigns to make a two-month push to ensure their spot at the third debate.

According to CBS News, Biden, Harris, Warren, Sanders, South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE, former Rep. Beto O'Rourke Beto O'RourkeJimmy Carter says his son smoked pot with Willie Nelson on White House roof O'Rourke endorses Kennedy for Senate: 'A champion for the values we're most proud of' 2020 Democrats do convention Zoom call MORE (D-Texas) and Andrew Yang Andrew YangDoctor who allegedly assaulted Evelyn Yang arrested on federal charges The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden weighs in on police shootings | Who's moderating the debates | Trump trails in post-convention polls Buttigieg launches his own podcast MORE have all reached the 130,000-donor mark, while others have noted the gains they made in donor numbers after last week’s debate.

In other debate news, Democrats are continuing to clamor for a debate focused on climate change, an idea that has received pushback from the DNC even though it is ready to consider the idea. According to HuffPost, the DNC voted unanimously at an executive committee gathering in Pittsburgh on Saturday to refer the proposal to an internal committee, which will consider the idea and make a recommendation. If one is made, the DNC could vote in full on the idea on Aug. 23.

The possibility of a climate change debate has been brought up repeatedly by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee Jay Robert InsleeBarr asked prosecutors to explore charging Seattle mayor over protest zone: report Bottom line Oregon senator says Trump's blame on 'forest management' for wildfires is 'just a big and devastating lie' MORE (D), who has centered his campaign squarely on the topic.

The New Yorker: Will Hunter Biden jeopardize his father’s campaign?

Gerald F. Seib: Democrats push left, but need moderate swing states.

The Washington Post: Democrats convulse over race as debate exchange reverberates.

The Associated Press: Top advisers leave Hickenlooper’s struggling 2020 campaign.

Elsewhere on the political scene … Lynne Homrich, a GOP candidate for Georgia’s 7th congressional district, posted a $500,000 haul in the second fundraising quarter in a bid to separate herself from the GOP field of seven candidates. The winner will vie to replace retiring Rep. Rob Woodall William (Rob) Robert WoodallHouse Democrats' campaign arm reserves .6M in ads in competitive districts Hispanic Caucus campaign arm endorses slate of non-Hispanic candidates Democrats go big on diversity with new House recruits MORE (R-Ga.) in what is considered a toss-up race.







LEADING THE DAY





CONGRESS: There’s trouble in paradise between Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline Trump signs largely symbolic pre-existing conditions order amid lawsuit MORE (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerPelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' 3 reasons why Biden is misreading the politics of court packing Cruz blocks amended resolution honoring Ginsburg over language about her dying wish MORE (D-N.Y.) after the House was forced to take up the Senate’s compromise border supplemental last week, exhibiting a rare moment of discord between the two Democratic leaders.

As Mike Lillis and Alexander Bolton report, the relationship between the two leaders is being tested after the episode and as the two ready for high-level negotiations in the coming months, including on a potential spending caps deal and the debt ceiling.

“This seems to be the only time I can remember in the last two years or three years where Sen. Schumer and Speaker Pelosi were not on the same page,” said a House aide, adding that there was a broad feeling among House Democrats that Schumer had undercut their position.

“I don’t think it will be repeated again,” the aide said, pointing to the looming spending and debt ceiling talks. “The things coming down the pipeline are much bigger, more fundamental issues.”

The Senate voted on the border bill 84-8, including 30-1 out of the Senate Appropriations Committee, effectively kneecapping Pelosi and progressive lawmakers from pushing for more restrictions in the bill.

> House Dems visit border: Tensions were high between House Democratic lawmakers and border patrol agents in Clint, Texas, on Monday as they continued to decry conditions at the facility where migrants are being held (The Hill).

21 House Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezOn The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline McCarthy says there will be a peaceful transition if Biden wins Anxious Democrats amp up pressure for vote on COVID-19 aid MORE (D-N.Y.), toured the facility, where lawmakers were forced to relinquish their phones and not allowed to take pictures. They questioned whether what they saw was the real conditions or a sanitized version.

"There was definitely some bad blood between the members and the agents," said Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), pointing to one incident in particular when one border patrol agent tried to take a selfie with Ocasio-Cortez in the background.

Additionally, they were greeted by protesters who chanted “Trump 2020” and became the subject of highly personal attacks. For example, they made derogatory references toward Rep. Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibTrump attacks Omar for criticizing US: 'How did you do where you came from?' George Conway: 'Trump is like a practical joke that got out of hand' Pelosi endorses Kennedy in Massachusetts Senate primary challenge MORE (D-Mich.) over her Muslim faith. One man yelled for her to "go back to [her] country." Tlaib was born in Detroit.

The Washington Post: Lawmakers condemn “vulgar” posts in secret border agent Facebook group.

The Associated Press: Rep. Joaquin Castro Joaquin CastroPompeo accused of stumping for Trump ahead of election Florida Democrat asks FBI to investigate anti-Semitic, racist disinformation Hispanic Caucus members embark on 'virtual bus tour' with Biden campaign MORE (D-Texas) says there will likely be a congressional investigation into the Facebook posts.

The Daily podcast, The New York Times (26 minutes): Inside the migrant detention center in Clint, Texas.

> Huawei: The president’s decision to lift the ban on U.S. companies selling products to Chinese telecommunications company Huawei has left many lawmakers and industry officials deeply concerned over the national security implications of the move (The Hill).

The backlash on Capitol Hill has been swift and bipartisan, with some members of Congress vowing to take legislative steps to keep existing restrictions against Huawei in place.

“Huawei is one of few potent levers we have to make China play fair on trade," Schumer said in a statement. "If President Trump backs off, as it appears he is doing, it will dramatically undercut our ability to change China’s unfair trade practices.”

Some Republicans shared Schumer’s sentiment. Sen. Tom Cotton Tom Bryant CottonThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump stokes fears over November election outcome The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Abortion stirs GOP tensions in Supreme Court fight MORE (R-Ark.) tweeted over the weekend that the telecom company “is not only an arm of the Chinese Communist Party, but also a close partner of the People’s Liberation Army.”







IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKES





WHITE HOUSE & INTERNATIONAL: Trump's tariffs truce with Chinese President Xi Jinping over the weekend hit the pause button between the world's largest economies, quieting some global concerns about the potential wreckage of a prolonged trade war. Trump on Monday said U.S.-China talks have “already begun.” But the agreement between the two leaders to resume negotiations may do little to bring the U.S. and China closer to a deal (The Hill).

> Iran: The United States issued a warning to Tehran on Monday in the wake of the country’s breach of an agreed-upon ceiling on enriched uranium, part of the nuclear pact negotiated in 2015 under the Obama administration with Iran and international partners (The Hill).

“They’re playing with fire,” Trump said of Tehran (The Hill).

The president spoke on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Jean-Michel MacronNavalny released from hospital after suspected poisoning US-China tensions shadow United Nations meeting The US is missing an opportunity in Lebanon MORE about the situation and today, France warned Iran against further breaches of the nuclear deal (Reuters). France has sought to keep in place the nuclear deal with Iran, from which Trump withdrew the United States in 2018.

Iran’s action does not by itself give the country material to produce a nuclear weapon, but signaled that “Iran is moving to abandon the restriction and restore the far larger stockpile that took the United States and five other nations years to persuade Tehran to send abroad” (The New York Times).

> Mexico and immigration: Trump said raids and deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will happen after Independence Day.

"After July 4, a lot of people are going to be brought back out" of the United States, the president told reporters on Monday (The Hill).

“People that come up [across the southern border] may be here for a short while, but they're going to be gone, they're going back to their countries,” the president said. “They go back home. ICE is going to be apprehending them and bringing them back. And we have a very good system for that, and it's been very effective, and it will be very effective."

Trump also said U.S. tariffs on all imports from Mexico, which he threatened last month, are on hold “now” because he said the Mexican government is cooperating with the United States to slow the migrant surge from Central America across its border with Guatemala. “It’s cut way down,” the president said. “The numbers are way down for the last week.”

The Department of Homeland Security recently projected that the administration’s combined efforts in June reduced the number of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border by 25 percent (CNN).

> North Korea: For the United States, the challenges of new talks with Pyongyang remain unchanged. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Michael (Mike) Richard PompeoPutin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' Pompeo accused of stumping for Trump ahead of election MORE and U.S. envoy Steve Biegun have been given two to three weeks to start new talks with their North Korean counterparts aimed at making a breakthrough in stalled denuclearization negotiations (The Washington Post).

> Hong Kong demonstrations: Police in Hong Kong fired tear gas early today to disperse hundreds of defiant protesters, some of whom stormed and ransacked the city’s legislature on the anniversary of the city’s 1997 return to Chinese rule. The demonstrators gathered around a council building in the former British colony’s financial district in a direct challenge to authorities in Beijing (Reuters).

The New York Times: Hong Kong protesters are increasingly at odds with one another.

At the White House on Monday, Trump told reporters, “I hope it gets solved. ... It's very sad to see."







The Morning Report is created by journalists Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver. We want to hear from you! Email: asimendinger@thehill.com and aweaver@thehill.com. We invite you to share The Hill’s reporting and newsletters, and encourage others to SUBSCRIBE!







OPINION





Gender politics and the 2020 Democratic primary: A test case in lessons learned? by Jessica Tarlov, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/308b1D1

John Roberts shows the nation he can steer the Supreme Court ship, by Lawrence Friedman, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2xo1NWC







WHERE AND WHEN





Hill.TV’s “Rising” program features U.S.-sanctioned Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska a key figure in former special counsel Robert Mueller Robert (Bob) MuellerCNN's Toobin warns McCabe is in 'perilous condition' with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill's 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE’s probe, in the first of a three-part series; plus Marie Newman (D), a congressional candidate from Illinois, to discuss her primary bid against Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), and Brenda Choresi Carter, director of the Reflective Democracy Campaign, to discuss the gender gap at 9 a.m. ET at http://thehill.com/hilltv or on YouTube at 10 a.m. at Rising on YouTube.

The House will get back to work on July 9.

The Senate is in recess until July 8.

The president has no public events on his schedule.

Vice President Pence flies to Manchester, N.H., for a roundtable discussion with patients at the Granite Recovery Center headquarters where he’ll speak about the opioid crisis and illegal drug flow in New Hampshire at 1 p.m. He’ll then return to Washington.

Economic indicators: The Bureau of Economic Analysis releases a report at 8:30 a.m. describing foreign direct investment in the United States last year.







ELSEWHERE





➔ State Watch: Oregon voters won’t have to put a postage stamp on ballots when they mail them back to elections officials, under a bill approved during the closing hours of the 2019 legislative session. Gov. Kate Brown (D) is expected to sign the measure. Vote-by-mail became the standard in Oregon in 1998 and the new bill would make voting free (The Oregonian).

➔ Supreme Court: Decisions handed down during the high court’s recently concluded term show the right-leaning justices do not see eye to eye on some of the highest-profile cases. While Justices Neil Gorsuch Neil GorsuchAbortion stirs GOP tensions in Supreme Court fight Poll: 59 percent think president elected in November should name next Supreme Court justice The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump, GOP allies prepare for SCOTUS nomination this week MORE and Brett Kavanaugh Brett Michael KavanaughTrump faces tricky choice on Supreme Court pick The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump stokes fears over November election outcome The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Trump previews SCOTUS nominee as 'totally brilliant' MORE, appointed by Trump, shifted the high court to the right, the newest members and Chief Justice John Roberts surprised court watchers by occasionally forging unlikely alliances with their liberal counterparts on the bench (The Hill). … Meanwhile, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Ruth Bader GinsburgTrump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance Fox News poll: Biden ahead of Trump in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Ohio On The Money: Anxious Democrats push for vote on COVID-19 aid | Pelosi, Mnuchin ready to restart talks | Weekly jobless claims increase | Senate treads close to shutdown deadline MORE talks about gender equality, her life and the law tonight with two of her former clerks at Georgetown Law’s Hart Auditorium in Washington from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by a conversation among legal experts moderated by CNN legal analyst and Supreme Court biographer Joan Biskupic. Information is HERE.







THE CLOSER





And finally… If you’re thinking about visiting Washington, D.C., for Fourth of July festivities, we have some news you can use.

Check the day’s program of activities, list of road closures and information about public transportation, a weather forecast and the various access points if you want to view the parade, Trump’s Lincoln Memorial speech, the Blue Angels flyover, a concert at the U.S. Capitol and of course the 35 minutes of spectacular fireworks launched near the Potomac River (WTOP).

And speaking of the river, the Metropolitan Police Department announced watercraft restrictions on Thursday HERE.

The U.S. National Park Police will have safety advisories on the Fourth of July available via text for visitors who sign up to get them. WJLA has a useful Fourth of July guide that includes that information HERE.

The president has been talking for a year about his vision for a big national bash on Independence Day. He will display U.S.-manufactured tanks on the mall (The Washington Post).

“I'm going to say a few words and we're going to have planes going overhead, the best fighter jets in the world,” Trump told reporters on Monday from the Oval Office. “And we're going to have some tanks stationed outside. … We have the brand-new Sherman tanks, and we have the brand-new Abram tanks. And we have some incredible equipment, military equipment on display. Brand-new. And we're very proud of it.”

According to a new Monmouth University Poll, 52 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s plans to deliver a national address on Thursday, but about 80 percent of poll respondents contacted in mid-June said they had no idea the president planned to speak.





