House returns for messy spy powers fight, tapping new Appropriations leader

House lawmakers are back in Washington from their two-week Easter break. Atop the agenda: the fight over reauthorization of a controversial surveillance tool, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Our colleague Jordain Carney has an excellent look at the state of play. The House Rules Committee meets at 4 p.m. to tee up debate on the legislation for later this week.

Couple more House things to watch: The House Republican Steering Committee is due to meet Tuesday evening and expected to tap Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) to succeed Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) as chair of the Appropriations Committee.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) continues to agitate on a motion to vacate Speaker Mike Johnson. And ICYMI: Katherine Tully-McManus had a great rundown of the lawmakers who will decide the speaker’s future.

Look for Republicans sitting in seats Joe Biden carried in 2020 to get asked about former President Donald Trump’s statement on abortion — that the matter would be left to states to set limits on — to see if they agree with Trump or Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who continues to call for a nationwide minimum limit of 15 weeks on the procedure.

About the Senate: Lawmakers are scheduled to take two votes on judicial nominations late in the morning. Other votes are expected but not yet locked in place.

Both parties break for their weekly conference luncheons. Expect Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to get asked about abortion during his weekly press conference amid the Trump vs. Graham dust-up.

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