NRCC Weekly Rundown: Obama hits the campaign trail, Steven Santarsiero votes against school funding, Luann Bennett dodges Clinton questions, and more!

And here’s this week’s edition of the NRCC Weekly Rundown:

 National: The NRCC raised $6.3 million last month for its best February fundraising total since 2005. The NRCC ended February with a record $39 million cash on hand.

National: President Obama made the decision to play a more active role in the 2016 election. The NRCC welcomed him along with all of his Obamacare and foreign policy baggage.

National: Iran began test-firing ballistic missiles last week (including one carrying the message “Israel should be wiped off the earth”) and vowed to continue its missile program. This is just the latest evidence that President Obama’s Iran Deal weakened our national security and emboldened Iran’s radical leaders.

CO-06: Morgan Carroll took the latest in her confusing positions on closing Gitmo and moving the dangerous terrorists housed there to Colorado, voting for both a bill discouraging the lease of a local prison for that purpose and an amendment supporting the shutdown of Gitmo. Previously, Carroll has said that Gitmo should be closed and was open to the idea of terrorists being moved to a facility in Colorado.

IL-10: Tuesday’s primary in Illinois set up a rematch between Rep. Bob Dold and Brad Schneider. An NRCC memo detailed how Dold is well positioned for reelection thanks to his leadership in advancing the interests of his district and working across the aisle.

MI-01: Detroit native Lon Johnson tried to combat his image as a carpetbagger by releasing a strange video of himself ice climbing in the Upper Peninsula. MI-01 residents certainly welcome tourists like Johnson to come and explore Pure Michigan!

MN-08: In light of Iran’s renewed missile program, the NRCC asked if Rick Nolan continues to support President Obama’s dangerous Iran deal.

PA-08: Steven Santarsiero had his latest opportunity to vote to reverse Governor Tom Wolf’s $3 billion cut to education funding this week. However, Santarsiero once again chose loyalty to his Democrat governor over funding Pennsylvania schools.

VA-10: After her confusing attack on Rep. Barbara Comstock for having a moderate voting record while representing a moderate district, website thief Luann Bennett dodged questions about whether she would continue to support Hillary Clinton if she is indicted on charges related to her private email server. Bennett ignored the question and hopped in her BMW on her way back to her home at the D.C. Ritz-Carlton.

NEWS AND NOTES:

 Rep. John Katko introduces House bill to secure foreign airports

Reacting to the terrorist bombing of a Russian plane over Egypt, U.S. Rep. John Katko has introduced a bill that would improve security at foreign airports with direct flights to the United States. His bill (H.R. 4698) would authorize the U.S. Transportation Security administration to donate security equipment to those overseas airports and increase cooperation with partner nations. READ

Elected leaders call for resignations, firings at Metro

On the floor of the House, Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) said Wednesday’s shutdown to allow crews to inspect 600 cables throughout the system only served to underscore the lack of a true safety culture at Metro. “What this does highlight is more widespread problem throughout the system,” she said. “We know there’s a culture change in management that needs to happen. Those Metro lifers who haven’t left this facility need to leave.” READ

Young backs anti-ISIS resolution

Iowa Congressman David Young is calling on President Obama and Congress to use their ‘bully pulpits” in an effort to defeat ISIS. Earlier this week, the Van Meter Republican cosponsored a bipartisan resolution labeling the Islamic State’s recent attacks against religious minorities in Iraq and Syria as genocide. Young tells KMA News the resolution sends a strong message against ISIS’ terrorist attacks, particularly against Christians in that region. READ

Comstock backs creation of commission to boost digital security

U.S. Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) recently became an original co-sponsor of legislation that would establish a commission to help bolster and maintain digital security. Our national security is constantly intertwined with the high technology community,” Comstock said. “We have to make sure that we have the best tools to stay ahead of the constantly evolving technological threats. This commission will bring the brightest minds together in a nonpartisan manner so that we find the best solutions to proactively counter the cyber threat…”   READ

House GOP: Gitmo only ‘responsible and safe choice’ for ISIS detainees

Walorski’s resolution was co-sponsored by Rep. Mike Coffman (R-Colo.). Colorado is home to one of the sites a Pentagon team assessed as a possible location to house current Guantánamo detainees should President Obama’s plan to close the facility move forward. “Islamic State operatives are hardened terrorists and irregular enemy combatants who should be detained at GTMO, not in Colorado or in any other state,” Coffman said in a written statement…READ

 Deny her 95-year-old grandma burial at Arlington National Cemetery? No way.

Oh, they’ve made exceptions. The men in charge of approving coveted plots at Arlington National Cemetery have made hundreds of exceptions to the strict military rules about who gets buried there. But when it comes to a World War II pilot who happens to be a woman? Nope. No exception available. No space in Arlington for you, Second Lt. Elaine Danforth Harmon. The House bill, introduced by Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz), a retired Air Force pilot, has 174 co-sponsors as of this week, Miller said. READ

 Donovan demands Obama declare ISIS slaughter genocide

“Last year, the world watched a beach turn red as executioners sawed off the heads of 21 Coptic Christians on the shores of the Mediterranean. Last week, terrorists executed nuns caring for the elderly and frail. And in the months between, ISIS has buried hundreds or thousands of slaughtered Yazidis in mass graves. Political correctness cannot stand in the way of our moral obligation to call this what it is: genocide,” Donovan (R-C-Southwest Brooklyn-Staten Island) said in a statement. READ

 Davis: FEMA denial of Central Illinois flood relief a ‘travesty’

Two weeks after Illinois submitted a request for individual assistance to help residents, businesses and municipalities in about two-dozen counties recover from severe flooding this winter, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has issued a denial. “That is a travesty because FEMA could be using the language that I just passed that would allow more localized impacts to be taken into consideration to get assistance,” [Rep. Rodney] Davis said. READ

 Porter Ranch gas leak: Federal legislation proposed to ensure safety

Across the nation, a natural gas leak that forced thousands of residents and students to flee their Porter Ranch homes and schools should never happen again, anywhere. So says Rep. Steve Knight, who represents the area, and who touted legislation Saturday that would require federal officials to enact safety standards for underground natural gas storage fields across the nation. “Now that the cap is in place, we’re not smelling the mercaptan, but that doesn’t mean that this is over,” said Knight, standing next to the SoCalGas Aliso Canyon Storage Facility gate in Porter Ranch, following a tour. “We want to take care of this – and make sure it never happens again.” READ