• The Manhattan grand jury considering an indictment of former President Donald Trump over a 2016 hush-money scheme with porn actor Stormy Daniels is scheduled to meet today, where prosecutors could present additional evidence to rebut Monday testimony by a Trump witness after they called off yesterday’s session. (The Wall Street Journal) Meanwhile in Washington, Trump defense attorney Evan Corcoran is reportedly poised to testify tomorrow before a federal grand jury investigating the classified documents found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. (CNN)
• Republican strategist Jeff Roe, a top adviser to Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) who led Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) 2016 presidential campaign, has joined the super PAC supporting the likely presidential bid of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), adding presidential campaign experience for his outside spending vehicle and raising doubts that Youngkin will seek the White House. (The Washington Post) DeSantis clarified his position on Ukraine after saying the country’s defense was not in the vital interest of the United States, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” who should be “held accountable.” (The New York Times)
• TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is set to appear this morning before the House Energy and Commerce Committee amid a fierce lobbying campaign to defend the social video app from a ban in the United States. (Roll Call) Ahead of the hearing, China’s Commerce Ministry said it would “firmly oppose” a move by TikTok to detach itself from its Beijing-based parent ByteDance Ltd., as preferred by the Biden administration. (The Wall Street Journal)
• Republican leaders are said to have asked House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to delay a planned markup next week of immigration and border security bills until the House returns in mid-April amid intraparty fighting over the issues. (Punchbowl News)

Happening today (all in ET):

• 10 a.m. Senate in session.

• 10 a.m. TikTok CEO testifies to House Commerce Committee.

• 10 a.m. Sec. Blinken testifies to House Foreign Affairs Committee.

• 10 a.m. Sec. Austin testifies to House Appropriations subcommittee.

• 10 a.m. Rep. Pelosi participates in Georgetown University event on religion in politics.

• 12 p.m. House in session.

• 1 p.m. Biden hosts event on the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. 

• 3 p.m. Sec. Yellen testifies to House Appropriations subcommittee.

2022 Vote Studies: Proxies helped keep participation at record pace
Roll Call

Powell and Yellen Suggest Need to Review Regulations After Bank Failures
Alan Rappeport et al., The New York Times

Two of the nation’s top economic policymakers on Wednesday said they were focused on determining how the failure of Silicon Valley Bank had happened and suggested changes to federal regulation and oversight might be needed to prevent future runs on American banks.

Biden and Trudeau to mix thorny issues with niceties
Myah Ward, Politico

Immigration, Haiti and defense spending are among the touchy issues the two leaders are expected to tackle.

Europe should detain Putin, give him to ICC if he visits, Blinken says
John Hudson and Missy Ryan, The Washington Post

European countries should detain Vladimir Putin and turn him over to the International Criminal Court if the Russian president visits their countries, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told lawmakers Wednesday.

Armed Russian jets have flown over a U.S. base in Syria nearly every day in March, U.S. commander says
Courtney Kube, NBC News

Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich told NBC News that Russian jets have violated the airspace of At Tanf Garrison roughly 25 times this month, including Wednesday.

US review of Afghanistan withdrawal to be released in April
Aamer Madhani and Zeke Miller, The Associated Press

The results of the long-delayed government review of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan will be released next month, the White House announced Wednesday, with Congress and the public set to see an assessment of what went wrong as America ended its longest war.

White House disbanding its covid-19 team in May
Dan Diamond and Tyler Pager, The Washington Post

Ashish Jha is likely to depart as pandemic that engulfed Biden’s early presidency takes a lower profile.

Jeff Zients was the man to make the trains run on time. It’s been a bumpy start.
Adam Cancryn et al., Politico

It’s early and the job is thankless. But Biden’s new chief of staff and his leadership style has drawn some detractors.

Sinema Trashes Dems: ‘Old Dudes Eating Jell-O’
Jonathan Martin, Politico

The Arizona senator courts GOP donors by ridiculing her former Democratic colleagues.

House expected to attempt to override Biden’s veto of measure to overturn investment rule
Clare Foran, CNN

The House of Representatives is expected to vote Thursday to try to override President Joe Biden’s veto of a measure to overturn a retirement investment rule – an effort that faces long odds in the narrowly divided chamber.

Double-Barreled Economic Threat Puts Congress on Edge
Carl Hulse, The New York Times

Republicans and Democrats disagree over how recent bank closures should impact the debt limit stalemate, and have taken divergent lessons from past economic crises.

Democratic infighting complicates Schumer response to banking crisis
Alexander Bolton, The Hill

Democratic infighting over a bipartisan bill that passed in 2018 to roll back part of the landmark Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act is the latest political problem facing Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

Biden Judicial Nominee Stumbles Over Brady Motion Definition
Tiana Headley, Bloomberg

A second Biden federal trial court nominee was tripped up over Republican confirmation hearing questions, this time involving a senator’s inquiry about a criminal law tenet. Kato Crews, a magistrate judge in Denver who’s been selected for a district court seat there, couldn’t define a Brady motion and how to analyze it at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.

Sinema delays vote on FAA nominee Phil Washington
Hans Nichols, Axios

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) was forced to scrap a scheduled committee confirmation vote for President Biden’s pick to lead the Federal Aviation Administration, after Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) raised last-minute questions about the nominee, according to people familiar with the matter.

Bipartisan support emerges for Senate railroad safety bill
Stephen R. Groves, The Associated Press

A bipartisan consensus that Congress should act to toughen regulations on railroads emerged Wednesday as senators heard fresh testimony on the fiery hazardous train derailment last month on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.

House GOP demands info from former prosecutors in Trump case
Farnoush Amiri, The Associated Press

House Republicans on Wednesday demanded testimony and documents from two former Manhattan prosecutors who had been leading a criminal investigation into Donald Trump before quitting last year in a clash over the direction of the probe.

Oversight panel distances from Gaetz, Greene push to bring Tara Reade for interview
Emily Brooks, The Hill

The House Oversight Committee is distancing itself from a push by Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) to bring Tara Reade, who has accused President Biden of sexually assaulting her, in for an interview after Gaetz announced the panel’s chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) had given the green light.

Federal Reserve presses ahead with quarter-point rate rise despite banking turmoil
Colby Smith and Kate Duguid, Financial Times

The Federal Reserve pressed ahead with a quarter-point rate rise on Wednesday despite the recent turmoil in the banking sector but signalled it may soon call time on its monetary tightening campaign.

Mike Pence’s aides recognize he may have to testify before grand jury
Michael Scherer, The Washington Post

The former vice president’s advisers have privately accepted the possibility that he might have to testify against former president Donald Trump during an election season.

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s ties to billionaire George Soros are not as close as Republicans claim
Brian Schwartz, CNBC

As Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg inches closer to a possible indictment against former President Donald Trump, Republicans have launched a barrage of attacks against the Democratic district attorney and his alleged ties to billionaire George Soros.

Norfolk Southern to Provide Financial Support After Derailment, C.E.O. Says
Stephanie Lai and Mark Walker, The New York Times

Alan Shaw told Congress his rail company would create a medical compensation fund and a property assurance program to help residents of East Palestine, Ohio, the site of last month’s accident.

Record-breaking Wisconsin Supreme Court race could decide abortion rights and 2024 rules in key battleground
Eric Bradner and Jeff Zeleny, CNN

In one of the nation’s most important political battlegrounds, the future of election laws, abortion rights and more could hinge on the outcome of an April race for a seat that will determine control of the state Supreme Court.

GOP 2024 hopefuls grapple with how to take on Trump
Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey, The Washington Post

Many Republicans are quietly testing messages and discussing strategies to defeat him in their party’s upcoming presidential primary.

The DeSantis Foreign Policy: Hard Power, but With a High Bar
Jonathan Swan et al., The New York Times

The Florida governor has never been the internationalist that some old-guard Republicans wanted or imagined him to be. A close reading of his record reveals how he might lead the U.S. abroad.

‘Blue wall’ Democrats urge the White House to give Chicago the 2024 DNC convention
Natasha Korecki, NBC News

Democrats across the Midwest are appealing to President Joe Biden to back Chicago as the destination for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, arguing the party must send a strong signal of support if it is to keep its “blue wall” of states intact in the next presidential election.

New York state of mind: Both parties see Empire State as holding the path to a House majority
Casey Wooten, National Journal

Democratic super PAC pledges to pour $45 million as freshman Republicans brace for expensive reelection brawl.

DeSantis to expand ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law to all grades
Anthony Izaguirre, The Associated Press

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ′ administration is moving to forbid classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in all grades, expanding the controversial law critics call “Don’t Say Gay” as the Republican governor continues a focus on cultural issues ahead of his expected presidential run.

Iowa’s governor signs law banning gender-affirming care for minors
Andy Rose and Jack Forrest, CNN

Iowa’s Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law Wednesday a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, joining a growing cadre of red states looking to restrict access to the treatments for trans youth in America.

Abortion legal again in Wyoming after judge blocks ban
Maya Shimizu Harris, Casper Star Tribune

Abortion is legal again in Wyoming after a Teton County judge Wednesday temporarily blocked a new ban on the procedure while a new legal challenge winds through the courts.

North Carolina’s Lt. Governor Is A Facebook Brawler Whose Posts Railed Against Gays, Blacks, And Jews
Hunter Walker, Talking Points Memo

Earlier this month, North Carolina Lieutenant Gov. Mark Robinson (R) delivered a pair of speeches that sparked speculation he might be running for governor next year. However, his remarks online are far more notable than any comments he’s made in his official capacity.

Moderna CEO grilled by Senate panel over planned price hike
Lauren Clason, Roll Call

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel attempted on Wednesday to win over lawmakers irate about the company’s planned COVID-19 vaccine price increase, weathering a barrage of criticism from Democrats angry at the company’s profits from its groundbreaking mRNA vaccine.

China Hawks Dine on Seared Branzino And Lament Threat to US
Lizette Chapman et al., Bloomberg

Peter Thiel likened US-China ties to a codependent marriage and lamented the rise of TikTok at a dinner for venture capitalists and lawmakers a day before the app’s chief executive testifies on Capitol Hill.

After DeSantis tussle, Disney World will host a major summit on gay rights
Michael Wilner and Mary Ellen Klas, Miami Herald

The Walt Disney Company will host a major conference promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in the workplace in Central Florida this September, gathering executives and professionals from the world’s largest companies in a defiant display of the limits of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign against diversity training.

The Trump RINO Test Is Ridiculous
Rich Lowry, Politico

He’s the real Republican In Name Only.

Woke Is Just Another Word for Liberal
Adam Serwer, The Atlantic

What many conservative critics of wokeness actually oppose is the pursuit of equality.

The shape of polarization in America
Patrick Ruffini, The Intersection

It is cliché by now to say that the country is polarized. Despite the predictable nature of the polarization discourse, there’s strong empirical evidence for the underlying trend. You may have seen this animation from the Pew Research Center, for example.