• House Republican leaders are said to be working privately to build support for a plan that would raise the debt limit for one year, alongside cuts and revenue raisers that could amount to as much as $4 trillion in budget savings over the next decade. GOP leaders aim to put a bill on the House floor in May that could narrowly pass the chamber, a move aimed at strengthening its negotiating position with the White House. (CNN)
• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) are poised to return to the chamber after health-related absences, while questions continue to hang over Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), whose absence from the Judiciary Committee has hindered the advancement of Biden’s judicial nominees. The Senate is set to vote this week on a slate of executive nominations and legislation to support local fire departments. (NBC News)
• Former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign said he raised $15.4 million in the days since his criminal fraud indictment in New York City, with almost 98% coming from small-dollar donors who contributed less than $200. (Bloomberg) Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley’s campaign overstated how much she raised following her campaign launch, pulling in $8.3 million rather than the $11 million it initially claimed. (CNN)
• A super PAC aligned with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ expected bid for the GOP’s presidential nomination launched a set of advertisements attacking Trump as a “gun grabber” and accusing him of “stealing pages from the Biden-Pelosi Playbook” in his attacks on Republican efforts to cut Social Security and Medicare. (Bloomberg)

Happening today (all in ET):

• 9 a.m. House Judiciary Committee holds field hearing on crime in New York City. 

• 10 a.m. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks at the New York Stock Exchange.

• 2 p.m. House in session.

• 3 p.m. Senate in session.

• 4 p.m. House Rules Committee holds hearing on transgender athletes.

• 6 p.m. McCarthy holds press conference to mark his first 100 days as speaker.

Biden’s Approval Rating Is Underwater in 40 States as He Preps Re-Election Bid
Morning Consult

Pentagon leak details reservations for support of Ukraine from U.S. allies Egypt, Israel and South Korea
Nabih Bulos et al., Los Angeles Times

Since the day Russia invaded Ukraine nearly 14 months ago, President Biden has cited the strength of the widespread international commitment to the mission of defending an independent democracy against a brutal aggressor.

US helicopter raid targets senior ISIS leader in Syria
Oren Liebermann, CNN

A US helicopter raid in northeast Syria targeted a senior ISIS leader and planner early Monday morning, according to a spokesman for US Central Command.

US, UK Urge Sudan Generals to End Fighting, Return to Talks
Iain Marlow, Bloomberg

The US and UK urged a return to negotiations in Sudan, after violence between rival Sudanese military factions killed more than 60 people and injured hundreds in the past few days.

US manufacturing commitments double after Biden subsidies launched
Amanda Chu and Oliver Roeder, Financial Times

Companies have committed more than $200bn to US manufacturing projects since Congress passed sweeping subsidies last year, as president Joe Biden’s effort to spark a new industrial revolution gains momentum.

Biden’s green gamble
Josh Kraushaar, Axios

President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency announced far-reaching climate regulations this week in an attempt to dramatically alter how Americans drive over the next decade.

Biden and Congress want to ban TikTok. At this point it may be impossible.
Brendan Bordelon, Politico

They’re quickly crashing into the hard limits of Washington’s power.

Trump’s House GOP allies take fight to Manhattan DA’s turf
Michael R. Sisak, The Associated Press

Republicans upset with Donald Trump’s indictment are escalating their war on the prosecutor who charged him, trying to embarrass him on his home turf partly by falsely portraying New York City as a place overrun by crime.

How Jim Jordan, a Fighter Aligned With Trump, Wrestled His Way to Power
Luke Broadwater, The New York Times

The Ohio Republican defines himself by his penchant for punching back, whether against allegations that he was derelict in a sex abuse scandal or attempts to prosecute the former president.

Lindsey Graham slams Marjorie Taylor Greene for defending leak of classified documents
Kelly Garrity, Politico

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) slammed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Sunday for comments she made last week defending the 21-year-old National Guardsman suspected of leaking classified documents online.

Democratic senators favor forcing House vote on debt limit increase
Alexander Bolton, The Hill

Democratic senators are getting antsy over the lack of progress on legislation to avoid a national default and want House Democrats to begin working on a plan to force Republicans to vote on a bill to raise the debt limit.  

McCarthy’s pitch to shrink food aid drawing skepticism from fellow Republicans
Meredith Lee Hill, Politico

The House Speaker will propose new restrictions on the nutrition program formerly known as food stamps as part of House Republicans’ debt limit negotiations with the White House.

Kevin McCarthy’s blame game sweeps Capitol Hill
Rachael Bade, Politico

As debt limit pressure mounts, it’s GOP leadership — not just the rank and file — that’s in disarray.

Clarence Thomas to amend financial disclosure forms to reflect sale to GOP megadonor
Ariane de Vogue, CNN

Justice Clarence Thomas intends to amend his financial disclosure forms to reflect a 2014 real estate deal he made with a GOP megadonor – an acknowledgment that the transaction should have been disclosed almost a decade ago, a source close to Thomas tells CNN.

Here’s when the debt-limit crisis gets increasingly risky
Jennifer Scholtes et al., Politico

Highs and lows of U.S. cashflow will make for a bumpy ride, intensifying the partisan stalemate as the nation moves closer to defaulting on its $31.4 trillion in debt.

How the courts could limit access to mifepristone without banning it outright
Erin Durkin, National Journal

The Supreme Court halted any changes to the availability of the abortion drug on Friday, but the order lasts only until Thursday morning.

Fox News Defamation Trial Delayed Amid Network’s Push to Settle Dispute
Erin Mulvaney et al., The Wall Street Journal

A Delaware judge delayed the start of the eagerly anticipated trial on a voting-machine company’s defamation claims against Fox News, an announcement that came as the network is looking for a possible way to settle the case.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like 2024
Maggie Astor, The New York Times

Candidates are visiting early primary states, attending cattle calls and holding donor summits. The nascent campaign seems to be kicking into gear.

Why Joe Biden Has Slow-Walked His Way to a 2024 Run
Shane Goldmacher and Reid J. Epstein, The New York Times

Closed-door meetings about when to roll out the president’s campaign are intensifying. Still, with no serious primary challenge and Republicans infighting, he feels little pressure.

Biden adviser resigns to prepare for House bid in Rhode Island
Michael Scherer, The Washington Post

Gabe Amo will join what’s expected to be a crowded field of Democrats hoping to replace retiring Rep. David N. Cicilline.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can’t count on family support to take on Biden
Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN

The Kennedys have been through a lot. They don’t want to go through this. No name has appeared on more ballots or lawn signs. Even across branches of the family that have grown distant and divided since the first generation rose to power in the 1960s, they celebrate each cousin’s achievement – whether that’s a seat in the House or a new children’s book or an expansion of the Special Olympics.

Trumpworld Abuzz About Potential VP Pick — And The Qualities Trump’s Looking For
Diana Glebova, The Daily Caller

Former President Donald Trump is likely to pick a vice presidential candidate that is “ideologically aligned” with him, has “charisma” and “loyal,” Trump insiders told the Daily Caller.

GOP Megadonor Pulls Plug On Ron DeSantis, Cites Abortion And Book Bans
Lee Moran, HuffPost

Thomas Peterffy explained why he has “put myself on hold” over the potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate’s extreme positions.

Trump, facing probes, seeks to assert dominance over GOP at donor retreat
Josh Dawsey, The Washington Post

The former president’s speech came after other Republicans urged the party to move on to other candidates in 2024.

Why GOP culture warriors lost big in school board races this month
Juan Perez Jr., Politico

Amid all the attention on this month’s elections in Wisconsin and Illinois, one outcome with major implications for 2024 flew under the national radar: School board candidates who ran culture-war campaigns flamed out.

Iowa to spend millions kicking families off food stamps. More states may follow.
Kyle Swenson, The Washington Post

Food banks in the state say they are already facing a surge in demand and the legislation will only exacerbate that.

DeSantis wants to make it easier to execute criminals — with an eye toward SCOTUS
Gary Fineout, Politico

Former President Donald Trump’s allies have criticized the governor’s criminal justice record.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis plans to unveil new crackdown against Disney after 11th-hour coup
Selim Algar and  Jonathan Turley, New York Post

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis isn’t backing down against Disney. The Republican on Monday will unveil new crackdown measures against the corporate giant after it tried to kneecap his oversight of its self-governance power in the Sunshine State, The Post has learned.

Blue states stockpile abortion pills amid legal uncertainty
Oriana González, Axios

The high-stakes legal battle over a widely used abortion pill has left some blue states busily stockpiling the medication, in anticipation of a time when it could no longer be easily accessible.

Historic surge in bills targeting transgender rights pass at record speed
Kimberly Kindy, The Washington Post

GOP state lawmakers in red states engage in an extraordinary crackdown on transgender civil liberties this year.

Montana Lawmakers Have Voted To Ban TikTok
Stephanie K. Baer, BuzzFeed News

If Gov. Greg Gianforte signs the legislation into law, Montana will become the first state to ban the Chinese-owned app amid concerns about data privacy and surveillance.

A Message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs:

Big drug companies keep raising their prices and continue to charge Americans more for their prescriptions than they charge in foreign countries. Pharmacy benefits protect small businesses from Big Pharma’s out-of-control prices and save each consumer $1,040 every year. It’s no surprise that Big Pharma is pressuring Congress to prevent pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from negotiating savings. Congress should focus on the real cause of high drug prices – Big Pharma’s anti-competitive pricing practices. Learn more.

Ron Klain rejoins law firm O’Melveny as partner
Mike Allen, Axios

Ron Klain, two months after leaving as White House chief of staff, today will “return home” to the global legal giant O’Melveny as partner in its Litigation Department, based in Washington and New York, and as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Why Liberals Should Hope DeSantis Beats Trump
Jonathan Chait, New York

I am not, to say the least, a fan of Ron DeSantis. I was one of the first writers to notice his emerging authoritarian ambitions and unnerving success in discovering illiberal uses of state power to intimidate his enemies. Since that time, he has only grown more authoritarian and dangerous.

The ‘Diploma Divide’ Is the New Fault Line in American Politics
Doug Sosnik, The New York Times

The legal imbroglios of Donald Trump have lately dominated conversation about the 2024 election. As primary season grinds on, campaign activity will ebb and wane, and issues of the moment — like the first Trump indictment and potentially others to come — will blaze into focus and then disappear.