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  • 2026 Government Shutdown: Latest News and Impact on ICE

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    Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    One of the most confusing federal-government shutdowns in living memory began at midnight on January 31 when the stopgap-spending authority that ended the last government shutdown in November ran out. The shutdown was triggered by Democratic fury (and Republican misgivings) over ICE and Border Patrol atrocities in Minneapolis. But Congress had to unravel and end the shutdown before it could begin serious negotiations on new guidelines for immigration enforcement.

    The Departments of Defense, Education, Labor, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and State — along with the department that supervises immigration enforcement, Homeland Security — shut down on Friday night. Other agencies remained open because spending bills affecting them passed both houses of Congress before the Minneapolis crisis began.

    But the partial shutdown will end later today after two close votes in the House approved a Senate bill to reopen all government departments other than DHS. That agency will receive stopgap spending authority until February 13 to allow for very difficult negotiations over immigration enforcement policies and tactics.

    Here’s how we got here and what we know about what will happen next:

    The current crisis began when the House combined six regular appropriations bills into one huge package after allowing a separate vote over DHS funding as protests against ICE were breaking out around the country (it passed narrowly with just seven Democratic votes). The House then adjourned, hoping to “jam” the Senate into approving the whole package and keeping the government fully open.

    But after Border Patrol agents killed Alex Pretti, Senate Democrats withheld the votes needed to clear the spending package, demanding reforms in immigration enforcement. As the January 30 deadline approached, the White House became engaged in the dispute and cut a deal with Chuck Schumer to provide a separate two-week stopgap-spending bill for DHS to allow for further negotiations and pass the rest of the appropriations. This arrangement cleared the Senate late on January 30, with most Republicans and about half the Democrats going along. Because the earlier House package was changed by the Senate, the Trump-Schumer deal went back to the House for its approval. In the meantime, the affected federal departments had to shut down.

    The House wasn’t privy to the Trump-Schumer deal, and there was grumbling over it in both party caucuses. House Democrats are sensitive to the explosion of grassroots anger at the Senate Democrats who failed to use their leverage to either force major ICE reforms in exchange for keeping the government open, or to defund ICE altogether. Hardcore conservative House Republicans are upset about a rumored White House “pivot” away from total support for aggressive ICE tactics. Some wanted to attach provocative anti-immigrant conditions to the Senate deal, like measures to defund “sanctuary cities” or a forced Senate vote on the SAVE Act, which would impose new citizenship-ID requirements for voting. Democrats made it clear such amendments would be unacceptable poison pills that would extend the shutdown indefinitely.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson had hoped to get around these grumbling factions with a quick vote right after the House reconvened on Monday to approve the Senate deal under a suspension of the rules, which requires a two-thirds vote. But in recognition of the divisions in his own ranks, and likely annoyed that he was left out of the Trump-Schumer negotiations, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries informed Johnson that he couldn’t promise the requisite number of votes to make the suspension of the rules feasible.

    So Johnson was forced to go through the laborious process of getting a vote set up via House passage of the “rule” for consideration of the Senate deal. By ancient tradition, the minority party won’t vote for the majority’s “rule,” so the Speaker was forced to obtain must virtually every Republican vote for it. By all accounts, Trump spent Monday twisting arms and quelling dissent. House Freedom Caucus types asked for and probably received assurances from Trump that he won’t back down too much on ICE or on mass deportation generally if and when negotiations on the DHS spending bill ever happen. The rule passed by one vote with just one Republican (Thomas Massie) dissenting.

    Passage of the rule brought the Senate deal to the House floor, where it passed by a 217-214 vote, with 21 Democrats voting for it (mostly outspoken “moderates” and some very senior members in safe seats) and 21 Republicans voting against it (mostly House Freedom Caucus members). It looks like Johnson figured out how many Democrats he could get to vote for the bill and gave an identical number of Republicans a “free vote” to oppose it. The outcome showed that nobody really wantsed the partial shutdown to continue, but everyone is aware that once everything other than the DHS bill is resolved, Democratic leverage to secure restraints on immigration-enforcement agents will be reduced significantly. Trump will sign the bill momentarily and the shutdown will officially end.

    Absolutely not. Negotiations haven’t begun, and there are signs of a deepening partisan rift on the subject. Senate Democrats announced a list of substantive demands prior to the Trump-Schumer procedural deal that included a requirement for judicial warrants before ICE–Border Patrol arrests; coordination with local law enforcement (and deference to their use-of-force rules); and an end to masking. Any or all of these demands could be deal-breakers with the White House, aside from whatever additional demands House Democrats insist upon.

    We’ll know soon enough: The Senate-passed CR for DHS expires on February 13. If no substantive deal is struck that can get through both Houses and and also secure Trump’s signature, the options are either another CR to allow more time for negotiations or a new shutdown of DHS (which includes, in addition to immigration enforcement, agencies like FEMA and the Coast Guard). The only good thing about these scenarios is that at least it will be clear to everyone what the fight’s about.

    This piece has been updated throughout.


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    Ed Kilgore

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  • ‘We’re going to get this job done’: GOP Leaders see narrow path to end partial shutdown Tuesday

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    The House is expected to vote today on a funding bill aimed at ending the partial government shutdown, with President Donald Trump urging lawmakers to act swiftly despite Democratic calls for changes to immigration operations.The deal that passed the Senate last week funds the government through the rest of the fiscal year, except for the Department of Homeland Security. Lawmakers would have until Feb. 13 to negotiate Homeland Security funding and immigration enforcement provisions. On Monday, Trump told both sides in the House to send the bill to his desk without any delays, expressing his desire to see the government reopen as soon as possible. “We need to get the Government open, and I hope all Republicans and Democrats will join me in supporting this Bill, and send it to my desk WITHOUT DELAY,” the president wrote on social media.However, many Democrats want to see changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations before anything is signed.”The American people want to see the masks come off. The American people want to see body cameras turned on, and mandated. The American people want to see judicial warrants,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.House Speaker Mike Johnson argues that requiring immigration officers to remove masks would not have support from Republicans, as it could lead to problems if their personal images and private information are posted online by protesters. Passing this legislation could be a challenge because Johnson is working with a razor-thin majority and can only afford to lose one Republican defection, but he is confident he will pull it off.”We’re going to get this job done, get the government reopened. Democrats are going to play games and the American people can see who really cares,” Johnson said.Lawmakers from both parties are concerned the shutdown will disrupt the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which they rely on to help people after deadly snowstorms and other disasters.Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

    WASHINGTON —

    The House is expected to vote today on a funding bill aimed at ending the partial government shutdown, with President Donald Trump urging lawmakers to act swiftly despite Democratic calls for changes to immigration operations.

    The deal that passed the Senate last week funds the government through the rest of the fiscal year, except for the Department of Homeland Security. Lawmakers would have until Feb. 13 to negotiate Homeland Security funding and immigration enforcement provisions.

    On Monday, Trump told both sides in the House to send the bill to his desk without any delays, expressing his desire to see the government reopen as soon as possible.

    “We need to get the Government open, and I hope all Republicans and Democrats will join me in supporting this Bill, and send it to my desk WITHOUT DELAY,” the president wrote on social media.

    However, many Democrats want to see changes to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol operations before anything is signed.

    “The American people want to see the masks come off. The American people want to see body cameras turned on, and mandated. The American people want to see judicial warrants,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson argues that requiring immigration officers to remove masks would not have support from Republicans, as it could lead to problems if their personal images and private information are posted online by protesters.

    Passing this legislation could be a challenge because Johnson is working with a razor-thin majority and can only afford to lose one Republican defection, but he is confident he will pull it off.

    “We’re going to get this job done, get the government reopened. Democrats are going to play games and the American people can see who really cares,” Johnson said.

    Lawmakers from both parties are concerned the shutdown will disrupt the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which they rely on to help people after deadly snowstorms and other disasters.

    Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:


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  • U.S. Capitol replaces statue of Robert E. Lee with teen civil rights icon Barbara Rose Johns

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    The U.S. Capitol on Tuesday began displaying a statue of a teenaged Barbara Rose Johns as she protested poor conditions at her segregated Virginia high school, a pointed replacement for a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that was removed several years ago.

    An unveiling ceremony of the statue representing Virginia in the Capitol took place in Emancipation Hall, featuring Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Virginia’s congressional delegation and Democratic Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger.

    Johnson said more than 200 members of Johns’ family were on hand, listening on as the ceremony included renditions of “How Great Thou Art,” “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round” and “Total Praise” performed by the Eastern Senior High School choir from Washington.

    “We are here to honor one of America’s true trailblazers, a woman who embodied the essence of the American spirit in her fight for liberty and justice and equal treatment under the law, the indomitable Barbara Rose Johns,” Johnson said.

    Johns was 16 years old in 1951 when she led a student strike for equal education at the segregated R.R. Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia. The protest, led by Johns and hundreds of her classmates, sought to draw attention to the crowded, rundown conditions of their school — especially when compared to all-White schools in the same area.

    The students’ cause gained the support of NAACP lawyers, who filed a lawsuit that would become one of the five cases that the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed in Brown v. Board of Education. The high court’s landmark 1954 decision declared “separate but equal” public schools unconstitutional, finding segregated schools to be “inherently unequal.”

    Johns later married the Rev. William Powell and became Barbara Rose Johns Powell, raised five children and was a librarian in the Philadelphia Public Schools. She died at 56 in 1991.

    “She put God first in her life. She was brave, bold, determined, strong, wise, unselfish, warm and loving,” said Terry Harrison, one of her daughters.

    The statue shows the young Johns standing to the side of a lectern, holding a tattered book over her head. Its pedestal is engraved with the words, “Are we going to just accept these conditions, or are we going to do something about it?” It also features a quote from the Book of Isaiah, “And a little child shall lead them.”

    The statue replaces one of Lee that was removed in December 2020 from the Capitol, where it had represented Virginia for 111 years. The removal occurred during a time of renewed national attention over Confederate monuments after the death of George Floyd and was relocated to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

    “The Commonwealth of Virginia will now be properly represented by an actual patriot who embodied the principle of liberty and justice for all, and not a traitor who took up arms against the United States to preserve the brutal institution of chattel slavery,” Jeffries said at the ceremony.

    Johns’ sister, Joan Johns Cobbs, read from a journal entry by Johns: “And then there were times I just prayed, ‘God, please grant us a new school, please let us have a warm place to stay where we won’t have to keep our coats on all day to stay warm. God, please help us. We are your children too.’”

    The Johns piece is part of the National Statuary Hall Collection at the Capitol, in which each state can contribute two statues. The other statue representing Virginia is of George Washington.

    National Statuary Hall displays 35 of the statues. Others are in the Crypt, the Hall of Columns and the Capitol Visitor Center. Johnson said the Johns statue will be placed in the Crypt.

    Former Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam had requested the removal of the Lee statue. In December 2020, a state commission recommended replacing Lee’s statue with a statue of Johns.

    The Johns statue, sculpted by Steven Weitzman of Maryland, received final approval from the Architect of the Capitol and the Joint Committee on the Library in July.

    Johns is also featured in a sculpture at the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial outside the state Capitol in Richmond. The former high school is now a National Historic Landmark and museum.

    “It’s an incredibly profound moment, a moment to stand in a tar shack classroom with a hot potbelly stove as a heater, tar paper walls, shabby desks, right where 16-year-old Barbara Rose Johns courageously organized her schoolmates and stood up to the lie — the lie was separate but equal,” Youngkin said of the museum.

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  • House GOP unveils health care plan, with vote on track for next week

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    Washington — House Republican leaders unveiled a plan Friday to address health care costs ahead of a year-end lapse to tax credits that will result in skyrocketing premiums for more than 20 million Americans. 

    But the plan does not include an extension to the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Instead, Republican leaders will allow a vote on an amendment to the plan that would include an extension to those expiring tax credits, according to a GOP leadership aide.

    The move is aimed at appeasing moderate Republicans who are trying to force votes, through what is known as a discharge petition, on separate pieces of legislation to extend the tax credits for one to two years with reforms.  

    An extension has split the party, with those opposed saying the subsidies are ripe with fraud and high-income households shouldn’t qualify. 

    Democrats have pushed a three-year extension without reforms — a nonstarter with Republicans. 

    The Republican plan released Friday includes a provision to expand association health plans, in which multiple employers band together to purchase coverage and lower the costs of benefits. Another provision would provide funding for cost-sharing reduction payments meant to lower premiums for some Affordable Care Act enrollees. The proposal would also require more transparency from pharmacy benefit managers in an effort to lower drug costs. 

    “While Democrats demand that taxpayers write bigger checks to insurance companies to hide the cost of their failed law, House Republicans are tackling the real drivers of health care costs to provide affordable care, increase access and choice, and restore integrity to our nation’s health care system for all Americans,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said in a statement. 

    Johnson has been meeting with leaders of several factions of the conference this week to try to build a consensus on a plan. 

    The House Rules Committee is set to take up the package on Tuesday afternoon, teeing it up for a potential floor vote as soon as Tuesday evening or Wednesday. 

    It’s unclear whether it has enough support to survive a floor vote.  

    In a statement Friday night, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, called the GOP proposal an “11th hour measure” and said he would oppose it if the bill reaches the House floor.

    “House Democrats will continue our fight to protect the healthcare of the American people. We are ready to work with anyone in good faith on the other side of the aisle who wants to prevent the Affordable Care Act tax credits from expiring at the end of the month,” Jeffries said. “Unfortunately, House Republicans have introduced toxic legislation that is completely unserious, hurts hardworking America taxpayers and is not designed to secure bipartisan support.”

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  • Trump calls six Democratic lawmakers ‘seditious’ and urges arrests

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    President Donald Trump on Thursday accused six Democratic members of Congress of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”“It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.Trump’s post was referring to lawmakers who previously served in the military or intelligence community who were featured in a social media video posted this week telling service members they do not have to carry out “illegal orders.”“Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET,” Trump wrote, going on to add in a subsequent Truth Social post: “LOCK THEM UP???”The lawmakers seen in the video are Sens. Elissa Slotkin, of Michigan; Mark Kelly, of Arizona; U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio, of Pennsylvania; Maggie Goodlander, of New Hampshire; Chrissy Houlahan, of Pennsylvania; and Jason Crow, of Colorado.In that video, they say, “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution. Know that we have your back, don’t give up the ship.”The lawmakers did not specify what orders they were talking about, but they all framed their message as a warning about the rule of law. “We have been in contact with the House Sergeant at Arms and the United States Capitol Police to ensure the safety of these Members and their families. Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed,” House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar said in a statement.

    President Donald Trump on Thursday accused six Democratic members of Congress of “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!”

    “It’s called SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL. Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

    Trump’s post was referring to lawmakers who previously served in the military or intelligence community who were featured in a social media video posted this week telling service members they do not have to carry out “illegal orders.”

    “Their words cannot be allowed to stand – We won’t have a Country anymore!!! An example MUST BE SET,” Trump wrote, going on to add in a subsequent Truth Social post: “LOCK THEM UP???”

    The lawmakers seen in the video are Sens. Elissa Slotkin, of Michigan; Mark Kelly, of Arizona; U.S. Reps. Chris Deluzio, of Pennsylvania; Maggie Goodlander, of New Hampshire; Chrissy Houlahan, of Pennsylvania; and Jason Crow, of Colorado.

    In that video, they say, “No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution. Know that we have your back, don’t give up the ship.”

    The lawmakers did not specify what orders they were talking about, but they all framed their message as a warning about the rule of law.

    “We have been in contact with the House Sergeant at Arms and the United States Capitol Police to ensure the safety of these Members and their families. Donald Trump must immediately delete these unhinged social media posts and recant his violent rhetoric before he gets someone killed,” House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar said in a statement.

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  • House expected to vote on bill forcing release of Jeffrey Epstein case files

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    The House is expected to vote Tuesday on legislation to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, the culmination of a monthslong effort that has overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.When a small bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a petition in July to maneuver around House Speaker Mike Johnson’s control of which bills see the House floor, it appeared a long-shot effort, especially as Trump urged his supporters to dismiss the matter as a “hoax.” But both Trump and Johnson failed in their efforts to prevent the vote.Now the president has bowed to the growing momentum behind the bill and even said Republicans should vote for it. His blessing all but ensures that the House will pass the bill with an overwhelming margin, putting further pressure on the Senate to take it up.Trump on Monday said he would sign the bill if it passes both chambers of Congress, adding, “Let the Senate look at it.”Tuesday’s vote also provides a further boost to the demands that the Justice Department release its case files on Epstein, a well-connected financier who killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges he sexually abused and trafficked underage girls.A separate investigation conducted by the House Oversight Committee has released thousands of pages of emails and other documents from Epstein’s estate, showing his connections to global leaders, Wall Street powerbrokers, influential political figures and Trump himself.Trump’s reversal on the Epstein filesTrump has said he cut ties with Epstein years ago, but tried for months to move past the demands for disclosure. On Monday, he told reporters that Epstein was connected to more Democrats and that he didn’t want the Epstein files to “detract from the great success of the Republican Party.”Still, many in the Republican base have continued to demand the release of the files. Adding to that pressure, several survivors of Epstein’s abuse will appear on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning to push for release of the files. They also met with Johnson and rallied outside the Capitol in September, but have had to wait two months for the vote.That’s because Johnson kept the House closed for legislative business for nearly two months and also refused to swear-in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona during the government shutdown. After winning a special election on Sept. 23, Grijalva had pledged to provide the crucial 218th vote to the petition for the Epstein files bill. But only after she was sworn into office last week could she sign her name to the discharge petition to give it majority support in the 435-member House.It quickly became apparent the bill would pass, and both Johnson and Trump began to fold. Trump on Sunday said Republicans should vote for the bill.Rep. Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who sponsored the bill alongside Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, said Trump “got tired of me winning. He wanted to join.”How Johnson is handling the billRather than waiting until next week for the discharge position to officially take effect, Johnson is moving to hold the vote this week. He indicated the legislation will be brought to the House floor under a procedure that requires a two-thirds majority.“I think it’s going to be an important vote to continue to show the transparency that we’ve delivered,” House Republican leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Monday night.House Democrats celebrated the vote as a rare win for the minority.“It’s a complete and total surrender, because as Democrats we made clear from the very beginning, the survivors and the American people deserve full and complete transparency as it relates to the lives that were ruined by Jeffrey Epstein,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.What will the Senate do?Still, it’s not clear how the Senate will handle the bill.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has previously been circumspect when asked about the legislation and instead said he trusted the Justice Department to release information on the Epstein investigation.But what the Justice Department has released so far under Trump was mostly already public. The bill would go further, forcing the release within 30 days of all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as any information about the investigation into his death in federal prison. Information about Epstein’s victims or continuing federal investigations would be allowed to be redacted, but not information due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”Johnson also suggested that he would like to see the Senate amend the bill to protect the information of “victims and whistleblowers.”But Massie said the Senate should take into account the public clamor that forced both Trump and Johnson to back down.“If it’s anything but a genuine effort to make it better and stronger, it’ll backfire on the senators if they muck it up,” Massie said.___Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

    WASHINGTON —

    The House is expected to vote Tuesday on legislation to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, the culmination of a monthslong effort that has overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.

    When a small bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a petition in July to maneuver around House Speaker Mike Johnson’s control of which bills see the House floor, it appeared a long-shot effort, especially as Trump urged his supporters to dismiss the matter as a “hoax.” But both Trump and Johnson failed in their efforts to prevent the vote.

    Now the president has bowed to the growing momentum behind the bill and even said Republicans should vote for it. His blessing all but ensures that the House will pass the bill with an overwhelming margin, putting further pressure on the Senate to take it up.

    Trump on Monday said he would sign the bill if it passes both chambers of Congress, adding, “Let the Senate look at it.”

    Tuesday’s vote also provides a further boost to the demands that the Justice Department release its case files on Epstein, a well-connected financier who killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges he sexually abused and trafficked underage girls.

    A separate investigation conducted by the House Oversight Committee has released thousands of pages of emails and other documents from Epstein’s estate, showing his connections to global leaders, Wall Street powerbrokers, influential political figures and Trump himself.

    Trump’s reversal on the Epstein files

    Trump has said he cut ties with Epstein years ago, but tried for months to move past the demands for disclosure. On Monday, he told reporters that Epstein was connected to more Democrats and that he didn’t want the Epstein files to “detract from the great success of the Republican Party.”

    Still, many in the Republican base have continued to demand the release of the files. Adding to that pressure, several survivors of Epstein’s abuse will appear on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning to push for release of the files. They also met with Johnson and rallied outside the Capitol in September, but have had to wait two months for the vote.

    That’s because Johnson kept the House closed for legislative business for nearly two months and also refused to swear-in Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva of Arizona during the government shutdown. After winning a special election on Sept. 23, Grijalva had pledged to provide the crucial 218th vote to the petition for the Epstein files bill. But only after she was sworn into office last week could she sign her name to the discharge petition to give it majority support in the 435-member House.

    It quickly became apparent the bill would pass, and both Johnson and Trump began to fold. Trump on Sunday said Republicans should vote for the bill.

    Rep. Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican who sponsored the bill alongside Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, said Trump “got tired of me winning. He wanted to join.”

    How Johnson is handling the bill

    Rather than waiting until next week for the discharge position to officially take effect, Johnson is moving to hold the vote this week. He indicated the legislation will be brought to the House floor under a procedure that requires a two-thirds majority.

    “I think it’s going to be an important vote to continue to show the transparency that we’ve delivered,” House Republican leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said Monday night.

    House Democrats celebrated the vote as a rare win for the minority.

    “It’s a complete and total surrender, because as Democrats we made clear from the very beginning, the survivors and the American people deserve full and complete transparency as it relates to the lives that were ruined by Jeffrey Epstein,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.

    What will the Senate do?

    Still, it’s not clear how the Senate will handle the bill.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has previously been circumspect when asked about the legislation and instead said he trusted the Justice Department to release information on the Epstein investigation.

    But what the Justice Department has released so far under Trump was mostly already public. The bill would go further, forcing the release within 30 days of all files and communications related to Epstein, as well as any information about the investigation into his death in federal prison. Information about Epstein’s victims or continuing federal investigations would be allowed to be redacted, but not information due to “embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”

    Johnson also suggested that he would like to see the Senate amend the bill to protect the information of “victims and whistleblowers.”

    But Massie said the Senate should take into account the public clamor that forced both Trump and Johnson to back down.

    “If it’s anything but a genuine effort to make it better and stronger, it’ll backfire on the senators if they muck it up,” Massie said.

    ___

    Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

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  • President Trump signs government funding bill, ending shutdown after a record 43-day disruption

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    President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks.The shutdown magnified partisan divisions in Washington as Trump took unprecedented unilateral actions — including canceling projects and trying to fire federal workers — to pressure Democrats into relenting on their demands.The Republican president blamed the situation on Democrats and suggested voters shouldn’t reward the party during next year’s midterm elections.“So I just want to tell the American people, you should not forget this,” Trump said. “When we come up to midterms and other things, don’t forget what they’ve done to our country.”The signing ceremony came just hours after the House passed the measure on a mostly party-line vote of 222-209. The Senate had already passed the measure Monday.Democrats wanted to extend an enhanced tax credit expiring at the end of the year that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. They refused to go along with a short-term spending bill that did not include that priority. But Republicans said that was a separate policy fight to be held at another time.“We told you 43 days ago from bitter experience that government shutdowns don’t work,” said Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “They never achieve the objective that you announce. And guess what? You haven’t achieved that objective yet, and you’re not going to.”The frustration and pressures generated by the shutdown were reflected when lawmakers debated the spending measure on the House floor.Republicans said Democrats sought to use the pain generated by the shutdown to prevail in a policy dispute.”They knew it would cause pain and they did it anyway,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said.Democrats said Republicans raced to pass tax breaks earlier this year that they say mostly will benefit the wealthy. But the bill before the House Wednesday “leaves families twisting in the wind with zero guarantee there will ever, ever be a vote to extend tax credits to help everyday people pay for their health care,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would not give up on the subsidy extension even if the vote did not go their way.”This fight is not over,” Jeffries said. “We’re just getting started.”The House had not been in legislative session since Sept. 19, when it passed a short-term measure to keep the government open when the new budget year began in October. Johnson sent lawmakers home after that vote and put the onus on the Senate to act, saying House Republicans had done their job.What’s in the bill to end the shutdownThe legislation is the result of a deal reached by eight senators who broke ranks with the Democrats after reaching the conclusion that Republicans would not bend on using a government funding to bill to extend the health care tax credits.The compromise funds three annual spending bills and extends the rest of government funding through Jan. 30. Republicans promised to hold a vote by mid-December to extend the health care subsidies, but there is no guarantee of success.The bill includes a reversal of the firing of federal workers by the Trump administration since the shutdown began. It also protects federal workers against further layoffs through January and guarantees they are paid once the shutdown is over. The bill for the Agriculture Department means people who rely on key food assistance programs will see those benefits funded without threat of interruption through the rest of the budget year.The package includes $203.5 million to boost security for lawmakers and an additional $28 million for the security of Supreme Court justices.Democrats also decried language in the bill that would give senators the opportunity to sue when a federal agency or employee searches their electronic records without notifying them, allowing for up to $500,000 in potential damages for each violation.The language seems aimed at helping Republican senators pursue damages if their phone records were analyzed by the FBI as part of an investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. The provisions drew criticism from Republicans as well. Johnson said he was “very angry about it.””That was dropped in at the last minute, and I did not appreciate that, nor did most of the House members,” Johnson said, promising a vote on the matter as early as next week.The biggest point of contention, though, was the fate of the expiring enhanced tax credit that makes health insurance more affordable through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.”It’s a subsidy on top of a subsidy. Our friends added it during COVID,” Cole said. “COVID is over. They set a date certain that the subsidies would run out. They chose the date.”Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the enhanced tax credit was designed to give more people access to health care and no Republican voted for it.”All they have done is try to eliminate access to health care in our country. The country is catching on to them,” Pelosi said.Without the enhanced tax credit, premiums on average will more than double for millions of Americans. More than 2 million people would lose health insurance coverage altogether next year, the Congressional Budget Office projected.Health care debate aheadIt’s unclear whether the parties will find any common ground on health care before the December vote in the Senate. Johnson has said he will not commit to bringing it up in his chamber.Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19 pandemic-era tax credits as premiums will soar for millions of people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the subsidies. Some argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be routed through individuals rather than go directly to insurance companies.Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Monday that she was supportive of extending the tax credits with changes, such as new income caps. Some Democrats have signaled they could be open to that idea.House Democrats expressed great skepticism that the Senate effort would lead to a breakthrough.Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Republicans have wanted to repeal the health overhaul for the past 15 years. “That’s where they’re trying to go,” she said.When could things return to normal?While the shutdown will end tonight, the return to pre-shutdown status will not be immediate. Air travel is expected to experience lingering impacts, as the transportation secretary noted that the speed of recovery will depend on how quickly air traffic controllers return to work, with many having retired during the shutdown. The FAA administrator stated that air traffic controllers will receive their full back pay within a week, but it remains unclear how quickly other federal workers will be compensated. In previous shutdowns, it took up to eight weeks for some workers to receive back pay.Regarding SNAP benefits, the American Public Human Services Association anticipates that most states will issue full benefits within three days after the shutdown ends, though some states may take about a week due to complications from issuing partial benefits during the shutdown. The Small Business Administration has indicated that once the government reopens, it will immediately begin processing and approving loans for small businesses. ___Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

    WASHINGTON —

    President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks.

    The shutdown magnified partisan divisions in Washington as Trump took unprecedented unilateral actions — including canceling projects and trying to fire federal workers — to pressure Democrats into relenting on their demands.

    The Republican president blamed the situation on Democrats and suggested voters shouldn’t reward the party during next year’s midterm elections.

    “So I just want to tell the American people, you should not forget this,” Trump said. “When we come up to midterms and other things, don’t forget what they’ve done to our country.”

    The signing ceremony came just hours after the House passed the measure on a mostly party-line vote of 222-209. The Senate had already passed the measure Monday.

    Democrats wanted to extend an enhanced tax credit expiring at the end of the year that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. They refused to go along with a short-term spending bill that did not include that priority. But Republicans said that was a separate policy fight to be held at another time.

    “We told you 43 days ago from bitter experience that government shutdowns don’t work,” said Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “They never achieve the objective that you announce. And guess what? You haven’t achieved that objective yet, and you’re not going to.”

    The frustration and pressures generated by the shutdown were reflected when lawmakers debated the spending measure on the House floor.

    Republicans said Democrats sought to use the pain generated by the shutdown to prevail in a policy dispute.

    “They knew it would cause pain and they did it anyway,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said.

    Democrats said Republicans raced to pass tax breaks earlier this year that they say mostly will benefit the wealthy. But the bill before the House Wednesday “leaves families twisting in the wind with zero guarantee there will ever, ever be a vote to extend tax credits to help everyday people pay for their health care,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

    Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would not give up on the subsidy extension even if the vote did not go their way.

    “This fight is not over,” Jeffries said. “We’re just getting started.”

    The House had not been in legislative session since Sept. 19, when it passed a short-term measure to keep the government open when the new budget year began in October. Johnson sent lawmakers home after that vote and put the onus on the Senate to act, saying House Republicans had done their job.

    What’s in the bill to end the shutdown

    The legislation is the result of a deal reached by eight senators who broke ranks with the Democrats after reaching the conclusion that Republicans would not bend on using a government funding to bill to extend the health care tax credits.

    The compromise funds three annual spending bills and extends the rest of government funding through Jan. 30. Republicans promised to hold a vote by mid-December to extend the health care subsidies, but there is no guarantee of success.

    The bill includes a reversal of the firing of federal workers by the Trump administration since the shutdown began. It also protects federal workers against further layoffs through January and guarantees they are paid once the shutdown is over. The bill for the Agriculture Department means people who rely on key food assistance programs will see those benefits funded without threat of interruption through the rest of the budget year.

    The package includes $203.5 million to boost security for lawmakers and an additional $28 million for the security of Supreme Court justices.

    Democrats also decried language in the bill that would give senators the opportunity to sue when a federal agency or employee searches their electronic records without notifying them, allowing for up to $500,000 in potential damages for each violation.

    The language seems aimed at helping Republican senators pursue damages if their phone records were analyzed by the FBI as part of an investigation into Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. The provisions drew criticism from Republicans as well. Johnson said he was “very angry about it.”

    “That was dropped in at the last minute, and I did not appreciate that, nor did most of the House members,” Johnson said, promising a vote on the matter as early as next week.

    The biggest point of contention, though, was the fate of the expiring enhanced tax credit that makes health insurance more affordable through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.

    “It’s a subsidy on top of a subsidy. Our friends added it during COVID,” Cole said. “COVID is over. They set a date certain that the subsidies would run out. They chose the date.”

    Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the enhanced tax credit was designed to give more people access to health care and no Republican voted for it.

    “All they have done is try to eliminate access to health care in our country. The country is catching on to them,” Pelosi said.

    Without the enhanced tax credit, premiums on average will more than double for millions of Americans. More than 2 million people would lose health insurance coverage altogether next year, the Congressional Budget Office projected.

    Health care debate ahead

    It’s unclear whether the parties will find any common ground on health care before the December vote in the Senate. Johnson has said he will not commit to bringing it up in his chamber.

    Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19 pandemic-era tax credits as premiums will soar for millions of people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the subsidies. Some argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be routed through individuals rather than go directly to insurance companies.

    Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Monday that she was supportive of extending the tax credits with changes, such as new income caps. Some Democrats have signaled they could be open to that idea.

    House Democrats expressed great skepticism that the Senate effort would lead to a breakthrough.

    Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Republicans have wanted to repeal the health overhaul for the past 15 years. “That’s where they’re trying to go,” she said.

    When could things return to normal?

    While the shutdown will end tonight, the return to pre-shutdown status will not be immediate. Air travel is expected to experience lingering impacts, as the transportation secretary noted that the speed of recovery will depend on how quickly air traffic controllers return to work, with many having retired during the shutdown.

    The FAA administrator stated that air traffic controllers will receive their full back pay within a week, but it remains unclear how quickly other federal workers will be compensated. In previous shutdowns, it took up to eight weeks for some workers to receive back pay.

    Regarding SNAP benefits, the American Public Human Services Association anticipates that most states will issue full benefits within three days after the shutdown ends, though some states may take about a week due to complications from issuing partial benefits during the shutdown.

    The Small Business Administration has indicated that once the government reopens, it will immediately begin processing and approving loans for small businesses.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

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  • Jeffries says the

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    House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told CBS News that Democrats will still press to extend a slate of expiring health insurance subsidies, as a 43-day-long government shutdown nears a possible end without the health care provisions that many in his party viewed as a dealbreaker.

    “House Democrats are in this fight until we win this fight,” Jeffries said in an interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor John Dickerson. “This fight is not over for us. We’re just getting started.”

    Speaking hours before the House was expected to vote Wednesday evening on a bill that would fund the government until late January, Jeffries told CBS News that “Democrats remain strongly opposed” to the bill, which passed the Senate with some Democratic support. The House voted 222 to 209 on Wednesday night to pass the bill, with six Democrats breaking with their party to vote yes. The bill now heads to President Trump’s desk. 

    Democrats in both the House and Senate had long pressed for Congress to extend Biden-era enhanced health insurance tax credits in exchange for their votes to reopen the government. The credits are set to expire at the end of the year, which could lead to higher premiums for millions of people who buy insurance on Affordable Care Act exchanges.



    Hakeem Jeffries addresses backlash to shutdown deal, standing against Trump and more

    11:16

    But over the weekend, eight members of the Senate Democratic caucus signed onto a bill to reopen the government and approve a trio of full-year spending bills, in exchange for a promise from Senate GOP leadership to hold a vote on the tax credits at some point. House GOP leaders have not committed to holding a vote in the lower chamber.

    Asked by Dickerson what he’s heard from constituents about the Senate Democrats who voted for that deal, Jeffries said he hasn’t heard much, but his constituents do want Democrats to “keep up the fight, protect the health care of the American people.”

    “Grocery costs are too high, utility bills and electricity bills are through the roof, and health care costs are way too high,” said Jeffries. “We need you to do something about it.”

    The New York Democrat touted a separate bill that would extend the health insurance tax credits for three years. 

    He said “we’re going to force Republicans to vote on that, if not today, at some point soon,” referring to his plan to attempt to force a vote using a procedural move called a discharge petition. Jeffries will need several House Republicans to sign the petition, though.

    “Republicans claim that they want to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” he said. “They’ll have an opportunity to do so, since their leadership refuses to do that.”

    More from the interview with Jeffries airs Wednesday on the “CBS Evening News.”

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  • Hakeem Jeffries addresses backlash to shutdown deal, standing against Trump and more

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    House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries discusses backlash among Democrats over a deal to end the government shutdown without extending health care subsidies, standing up to President Trump’s agenda and more in this extended interview with “CBS Evening News” co-anchor John Dickerson.

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  • House returns, set to end record-breaking government shutdown

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    Right now the process is underway to reach that final vote in the House to end this longest government shutdown ever. We also wanted to lay out how it’s currently set to work. Over the last 2 days, House lawmakers have been flying in from across the country as they’ve been on recess during the entire shutdown. Some potentially face shutdown-related flight delays, but they are on their way back to the Capitol. The House agenda today was very specific, swearing in *** new congresswoman from Arizona when the House resumed this. Afternoon then debate and an initial procedural vote scheduled for around 5 p.m. Eastern today. If that passes, the House would debate again and is currently scheduled to hold *** final vote around 7 p.m. Eastern. That vote does not include healthcare subsidies, which started the whole shutdown in the first place. Of course we want to reopen the government. But that we need to decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis, and that begins with extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits. We believe the long national nightmare will be over tonight. It was completely and utterly foolish and pointless in the end, as we said all along. Democrats are largely expected to vote no on this. Republicans who hold *** majority in the House can only afford to lose 2 votes in order to pass this bill. And if that happens, the bill then heads over to President Donald Trump for his signature before the very likely long process of getting the government back up and running again. Reporting on Capitol Hill, I’m Amy Lou.

    House returns, set to end record-breaking government shutdown

    House lawmakers reconvened in Washington on Wednesday to vote on a bill that would end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

    Updated: 2:05 PM PST Nov 12, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    House lawmakers raced back to Washington on Wednesday to vote on a bill that could end the 43-day government shutdown, making it the longest in U.S. history. Over the last two days, lawmakers have been flying in from across the country, some facing their own potential shutdown-related delays, to get to Wednesday’s expected final vote. The House’s agenda included swearing in a new congresswoman from Arizona, followed by debate and an initial procedural vote scheduled for early evening. If that passes, the House debates again before holding a final vote on the bill, expected around 7 p.m. ET. The bill currently does not include Affordable Care Act subsidies, which started the shutdown in the first place.Democrats, who are largely expected to vote “no” on the bill, expressed disappointment.”Of course, we want to reopen the government, but we need to decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said. “That begins with extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits.”House Republicans, who hold a majority in the chamber, were largely expected to pass the measure despite Democrats’ objections, but can only afford to lose two votes for the bill to pass. “We believe the long national nightmare will be over tonight,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said. “It was completely and utterly foolish and pointless in the end, as we said all along.”If the bill clears the House, it will require President Donald Trump’s signature before beginning the likely lengthy process of getting the government back up and running again.However, full Republican support is not clear-cut ahead of the final vote. The bill includes a controversial provision that would ban most hemp products in the U.S. Supporters say it would close a dangerous loophole on unregulated products, but others argue it would destroy the hemp industry for many farmers. In the Senate, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for example, voted against the bill. Similar action in the House on Wednesday could hold up its passage.Watch the latest coverage on the government shutdown:

    WASHINGTON —

    House lawmakers raced back to Washington on Wednesday to vote on a bill that could end the 43-day government shutdown, making it the longest in U.S. history.

    Over the last two days, lawmakers have been flying in from across the country, some facing their own potential shutdown-related delays, to get to Wednesday’s expected final vote.

    The House’s agenda included swearing in a new congresswoman from Arizona, followed by debate and an initial procedural vote scheduled for early evening. If that passes, the House debates again before holding a final vote on the bill, expected around 7 p.m. ET. The bill currently does not include Affordable Care Act subsidies, which started the shutdown in the first place.

    Democrats, who are largely expected to vote “no” on the bill, expressed disappointment.

    “Of course, we want to reopen the government, but we need to decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said. “That begins with extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits.”

    House Republicans, who hold a majority in the chamber, were largely expected to pass the measure despite Democrats’ objections, but can only afford to lose two votes for the bill to pass.

    “We believe the long national nightmare will be over tonight,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said. “It was completely and utterly foolish and pointless in the end, as we said all along.”

    If the bill clears the House, it will require President Donald Trump’s signature before beginning the likely lengthy process of getting the government back up and running again.

    However, full Republican support is not clear-cut ahead of the final vote. The bill includes a controversial provision that would ban most hemp products in the U.S.

    Supporters say it would close a dangerous loophole on unregulated products, but others argue it would destroy the hemp industry for many farmers.

    In the Senate, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for example, voted against the bill. Similar action in the House on Wednesday could hold up its passage.

    Watch the latest coverage on the government shutdown:

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  • Fact-checking Democratic ACA subsidies talking points

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    The government shutdown failed to resolve differences between Republicans and Democrats over policies related to Obamacare’s affordability.

    Republicans refused to go along with Democrats’ proposal to extend expiring COVID-19-era subsidies for people who buy their insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The Senate voted Nov. 10 to fund the government through January without voting on the subsidies. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the Senate would vote later this year on extending them. 

    Most people who use Affordable Care Act marketplaces obtain subsidies. 

    In 2021, then-President Joe Biden signed legislation that made the subsidies more generous. The legislation reduced the maximum amount purchasers would have to pay for coverage and enabled households with incomes higher than 400% of the federal poverty level to receive subsidies. Previously, the subsidies were capped at 400% of the poverty limit for a household, which in 2024 was $60,240 for a one-person household. 

    Congress renewed these enhanced subsidies in 2022 through the end of 2025.

    The subsidies proved popular; the number of people receiving them increased from about 11 million to more than 24 million people, the vast majority of whom receive an enhanced premium tax credit.

    If enhanced tax credits expire, many enrollees will continue to qualify for smaller tax credits, while others will lose eligibility altogether.

    President Donald Trump, who unsuccessfully pledged to repeal and replace Obamacare, said he wants to give people money to buy their own health insurance, without providing details. 

    Democrats will likely campaign on Obamacare costs through the midterms, particularly if Republicans vote against extending the subsidies in the coming weeks. We fact-checked some recent Democratic talking points. 

    “The five states that are most impacted by a failure to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits are West Virginia, Wyoming, Alaska, Mississippi and Tennessee.”  — Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., at a Nov. 10 press conference

    This is accurate, according to one analysis of premium payment increases for consumers choosing plans in the same tier, without the enhanced subsidies. Jeffries was citing the liberal Center for American Progress Action Fund.

    “Most impacted” can mean many things, not just premium spike size. Florida has 4.7 million people enrolled in Affordable Care Act plans in 2025, more than any other state. About 97% of enrollees receive a discount that makes their plans cheaper.

    One analysis puts Texas ahead of Florida for the overall number of people who will not enroll in ACA plans in 2026 if the subsidies expire. Texas has a larger state population.

    “Forty-five percent of the people, of the Americans, who are going to lose health care or be at risk of losing health care if they don’t on the other side of the aisle extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, 45% of them are registered Republicans.” — Jeffries at a Nov. 10 press conference

    Jeffries’ statistic for Republican voters affected by the ACA subsidies comes from a May poll by KFF, a leading health policy think tank.

    The poll found Republicans make up 45% of adults who purchase their own health insurance, most of whom do so through the ACA marketplaces. That included 31% who defined themselves as MAGA Republicans and 14% called themselves non-MAGA Republicans. (The survey defined MAGA Republicans as Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who support Trump’s Make America Great Again movement.) About 35% enrolled through the marketplace were Democrats and 20% were independents.

    The rates were lower for Medicaid enrollees, KFF found: 27% self-identified as MAGA or non-MAGA Republicans.

    Jeffries predicted that this group is at risk of losing health care entirely, but we don’t yet know exactly how many would drop their insurance because of rising costs.

    The Congressional Budget Office expects 2 million more people would be uninsured in 2026, increasing to 3.8 million in 2034 and 2025. More people are likely to drop ACA coverage but not become uninsured, for example changing to a job that offers health insurance.

    “If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no. That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.” — Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., Nov. 9 X post

    This is largely accurate.

    Torres told us he was referring to a Sept. 30 analysis by KFF that found that the expiration of the credits “is estimated to more than double what subsidized enrollees currently pay annually for premiums — a 114% increase from an average of $888 in 2025 to $1,904 in 2026.” About 24 million people are on the marketplace, and most receive subsidies.

    Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., went further Nov. 9 when he said ending the subsidies “raises health care premiums for over 20 million Americans by doubling, and in some cases tripling and quadrupling” the cost. 

    Many low-income people would see their out-of-pocket premiums increase from zero to hundreds of dollars, said Larry Levitt, KFF’s executive vice president for health policy.

    “It would cost $38 billion to extend ACA credits next year and prevent millions of people from losing their healthcare. Reminder: Trump sent $40 billion to Argentina for no reason.” — Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., Nov. 7 on Bluesky 

    Lofgren’s statement about the cost of ACA enhanced subsidies is in the ballpark, but she exaggerated what the federal government sent to Argentina.

    Extending the enhanced subsidies would cost about $350 billion over a decade including about $38 billion next year, the center-right American Action Forum found.

    Other estimates are lower or higher. Levitt told us the net effect on the federal budget in 2027, which is a more complete year, is $31.9 billion.

    Romina Boccia, director of budget and entitlement policy at the libertarian Cato Institute, said factoring in direct costs, interest payments and spending in other programs averages around $48.8 billion more each year. 

    Regarding Argentina, Lofgren was referring to the Trump administration’s announcement in October that it agreed to a $20 billion currency swap and facilitated $20 billion in private financing. 

    The funds to support Argentina couldn’t be shifted to health care credits. The U.S. Treasury dedicates a pool of funds  for onetime U.S. intervention in foreign exchange markets.

    Chief Correspondent Louis Jacobson contributed to this article.

    RELATED: Government shutdown fact-checks about SNAP, WIC, Obamacare and immigration

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  • Schumer is pressured to step aside as Senate Democratic leader after shutdown vote

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    WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is facing mounting pressure to step aside as leader of the Senate Democratic caucus after eight members voted against his wishes Sunday, joining Republicans in a bid to end the longest government shutdown in history.

    The vote was just the latest development in a troubling week for the 74-year-old Schumer, who, after eight years as the top Senate Democrat, has faced growing calls from within the party to make way for a new generation of leadership.

    Elections last week revealed the emergence of a growing progressive movement in Schumer’s hometown, where the longtime senator declined to endorse Zohran Mamdani in his successful bid for New York City mayor.

    National progressive organizations on Monday urged him to step down and have encouraged a popular congresswoman in the state, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to run for his Senate seat in 2029. Polls show Schumer faces the lowest approval numbers of any national leader in Washington.

    His leadership troubles come on the heels of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), the first female speaker of the House, announcing her retirement, a decision that generated praise across the political aisle last week reflecting on her shrewd ability to control a sprawling House Democratic caucus during high-stakes votes.

    “Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) wrote on X after the Sunday night vote. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”

    Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the top Democrat in the House, told reporters Monday that he strongly disapproved of the emerging deal in the Senate, where seven Democrats and one independent who caucuses with the party voted to proceed with government funding.

    For seven weeks, House and Senate Democrats said they would not vote for legislation to reopen the government unless they were able to secure an extension of health insurance subsidies. But the deal reached in the Senate indicated how some Democrats gave in on that bottom-line negotiation.

    Schumer reiterated his disapproval of the spending deal in a speech from the floor Monday. He criticized the compromise as a “Republican bill” even though members of his party helped broker the deal.

    “Republicans now own this healthcare crisis,” Schumer said. “They knew it was coming. We wanted to fix it and they said no, and now it is on them.”

    As Schumer delivered his speech, Jeffries spoke to reporters at a news conference on the other side of the Capitol.

    Asked whether he thought Schumer remained an effective leader and should remain in his position, Jeffries replied, “yes and yes.”

    When pressed to elaborate, Jeffries said “the overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats led by Chuck Schumer waged a valiant fight,” and turned his disapproval to the Democrats who voted with Republicans on the bill.

    “I am not going to explain what a handful of Senate Democrats have decided to do,” Jeffries said. “That’s their explanation to offer to the American people.”

    Now that the effort turns to the House, Jeffries said Democrats in the chamber will try to block a deal that does not address healthcare costs.

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom offered harsh criticism of Senate Democrats on Monday, who he said had “rolled over.”

    After speaking at the Milken Institute’s Global Investors’ Symposium in São Paulo, Newsom told The Times that the move blunted the momentum his party was experiencing following a string of victories last week.

    “You don’t start something unless you’re going to finish,” said Newsom, who next heads to the climate summit known as COP30 in Belém, Brazil. “Why the hell did we do this in the first place? We could have gotten this deal in 20 minutes. … Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on with my party.”

    Zach Wahls, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Iowa, said Schumer had “failed to lead this party in one of its most critical moments,” calling for him to step down. And Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, wrote that an effective leader would have been able to keep party members in line.

    “Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership,” Moulton wrote on X.

    The eight members who voted to reopen the government — 15% of the Senate Democratic caucus — voted directly against Schumer, who voted against the measure.

    Wahls speculated that the moderate members who voted with Republicans were privately given Schumer’s blessing to do so.

    “The fact that he voted against this deal, while he clearly gave it his blessing in private, is a perfect illustration of why people no longer trust the Democratic Party,” Wahls said, “and as long as he stays in a leadership role, it is going to be impossible for anybody — whether it’s in Iowa or any other swing state — to win a majority.”

    Times staff writers Wilner and Ceballos reported from Washington, and Gutierrez contributed from São Paulo.

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  • Jeffries Finally Endorses Mamdani in the Most Tepid Way Possible

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    House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., conducts a news conference about the government shutdown on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
    Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images

    He made it just under the wire.

    On Friday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries finally announced his endorsement of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani following months of anticipation and hours ahead of the party leader’s own self-imposed deadline of the start of early voting.

    Jeffries made it official in a statement to the New York Times in which he noted that while he and Mamdani had “areas of principled disagreement,” it was crucial for the party to unite at a time when President Donald Trump poses an “existential” threat to the city.

    “I deeply respect the will of the primary voters and the young people who have been inspired to participate in the electoral process. Zohran Mamdani has relentlessly focused on addressing the affordability crisis and explicitly committed to being a mayor for all New Yorkers, including those who do not support his candidacy,” he said. “Together, along with Mark Levine and Jumaane Williams, they won the nominations for Mayor, Comptoller and Public Advocate in a free and fair election. In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election.”

    In a statement, Mamdani said, “I welcome Leader Jeffries’ support and look forward to delivering a city government, and building a Democratic Party, relentlessly committed to our affordability agenda — and to fighting Trump’s authoritarianism.”

    Many speculated whether the House minority leader would endorse Mamdani at all, as many Republicans across the aisle appeared eager to tie the democratic socialist candidate to the more moderate Jeffries and other House Democrats. After Mamdani shocked the local political world following his primary upset against former governor Andrew Cuomo, all eyes soon turned to the New York congressional delegation and state leadership as the new Democratic nominee sought to coalesce support ahead of the general election.

    While there were some immediate pickups, including Representatives Jerry Nadler, Adriano Espaillat and Nydia Velázquez, Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer were two prominent outliers as they both congratulated Mamdani on his win but appeared hesitant to throw their support behind him. Mamdani joined Jeffries in the leader’s home district in Brooklyn for a meeting that Jeffries’s team described as “constructive, candid and community-centered, with a particular focus on affordability,” but still an endorsement did not emerge from the hour-long conversation.

    In the months that followed, Mamdani picked up support from Governor Kathy Hochul, State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and his current boss, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, as Jeffries hinted that a decision would be coming prior to the start of early voting on October 25. The Democratic leader also sounded more complimentary of Mamdani in recent interviews, applauding his intention to ask NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch to stay on in her role if elected mayor.

    Jeffries’s endorsement comes just one day after Mayor Eric Adams threw his support behind his onetime mayoral rival Cuomo with the intention of bolstering the former governor’s chances of defeating Mamdani. It’s not yet clear if Schumer will soon follow suit with his own statement of support. This week, CNN reported that the Senate minority leader said he was still having conversations with Mamdani and declined to weigh in on the race at that moment.

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  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorses Zohran Mamdani in NYC mayor’s race

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    House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the race for New York City mayor Friday, one day before polls open citywide for early voting. 

    “I deeply respect the will of the primary voters and the young people who have been inspired to participate in the electoral process. Zohran Mamdani has relentlessly focused on addressing the affordability crisis and explicitly committed to being a Mayor for all New Yorkers, including those who do not support his candidacy,” Jeffries’ statement said. “In that spirit, I support him and the entire citywide Democratic ticket in the general election.”

    Jeffries’ backing is the latest show of support for the Democratic assemblyman from Queens and frontrunner in the polls. Mamdani had been seeking the powerful Brooklyn Democrat’s endorsement since the two met over the summer. 

    Earlier Friday, when asked why he had not yet endorsed Mamdani, a democratic socialist, and it’s potential impact on the democratic party, Jeffries said, “I have not refused to endorse. I have refused to articulate my position, and I will momentarily at some point in advance of early voting.”

    Jeffries also endorsed Democrats Mark Levine and Jumaane Williams for city comptroller and public advocate, respectively.   

    Mamdani’s opponent, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, picked up a key endorsement of his own Thursday from outgoing Mayor Eric Adams. The mayor ended his reelection campaign last month and has been an outspoke critic of Mamdani’s policies. 

    “Andrew and I are two kids from New York, and when you think about it, Andrew and his brother, and I have three of them, and brothers fight,” Adams said Thursday. “But when families are attacked, brothers come together. They understand that you have to protect the family.  

    Adams’ endorsement came a day after the candidates faced off in their final debate before Election Day. Cuomo was seen joining the mayor courtside at the Knicks’ home opener after the debate. 

    Key endorsements in the NYC mayoral election, so far

    Mamdani previously earned two high-profile endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the Democratic primary. He was also cross-endorsed by some of his fellow candidates in ranked choice voting. 

    Since his primary win, the state Assemblyman has also picked up endorsements from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Attorney General Letitia James, state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and several other elected officials. 

    He is also being backed by the Working Families Party and the United Federation of Teachers, which is the city’s largest teachers union. 

    Cuomo, meanwhile, received an endorsement from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg during the primary. Jim Walden also threw his support behind Cuomo when he left the race over the summer, hoping to help defeat Mamdani. 

    Republican Curtis Sliwa is endorsed by Reps. Elise Stefanik and Mike Lawler, as well as former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

    Mark Prussin

    contributed to this report.

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  • Pardoned Capitol rioter charged with threatening to kill Hakeem Jeffries at NYC event this week

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    A pardoned Capitol rioter was arrested last weekend for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

    Court documents obtained by CBS News said Christopher Moynihan was arrested Sunday after saying in text messages that he planned to “eliminate” Jeffries when the top House Democrat spoke at an event in New York City on Monday. 

    Jeffries spoke at the Economic Club of New York on Monday. 

    According to a court filing by prosecutors in the New York state criminal case, Moynihan wrote, “Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live.”

    Moynihan also allegedly stated: “Even if I am hated, he must be eliminated, I will kill him for the future,” the filing said.

    Moynihan faces a felony charge of making a terroristic threat, according to court filings shared by prosecutors. 

    Moynihan’s father declined to comment on the case when reached by phone by CBS News on Monday. He said Moynihan has not yet been appointed a defense attorney. 

    Moynihan is scheduled to make his first court appearance in the case on Thursday in Dutchess County, New York. 

    An image in prosecutors’ sentencing memo for Moynihan shows him entering the Capitol.

    Moynihan was pardoned by President Trump nine months ago, along with more than 1,500 other Capitol riot defendants who were granted clemency hours after Mr. Trump returned to the White House.

    Moynihan was found guilty in August 2022 of obstructing an official proceeding, and pleaded guilty to five misdemeanor charges. He was sentenced in February 2023 to 21 months in prison.

    Prosecutors described Moynihan as being among the first rioters to breach police barricades and enter the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021.

    screenshot-2025-10-20-at-10-26-46-pm.png

    Moynihan is shown on the Senate floor, according to a sentencing memo filed by prosecutors.

    Moynihan was also among a smaller group of riot defendants who were on the Senate floor during the siege. Prosecutors argued in Moynihan’s sentencing memorandum: “While inside, Moynihan rifled through a notebook on top of a Senator’s desk, saying ‘There’s gotta be something in here we can f*cking use against these scumbags.’”

    Prosecutors said Moynihan “occupied the dais of the Senate, joining other rioters in shouts and chanting,” and didn’t leave the chamber until police made him leave.

    Moynihan’s arrest for allegedly threatening Jeffries was made by New York State Police, according to a statement by the agency that was confirmed by a state official. The investigation was initiated by the FBI, according to state police.

    A state police statement said Moynihan was arraigned in local court in Clinton, a town in New York’s Hudson Valley region. He was remanded to the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center “in lieu of $10,000 cash bail, a $30,000 bond, or an $80,000 partially secured bond.”   

    State police declined a request to immediately release a copy of the agency’s incident report or a booking photo.

    Moynihan is not the first pardoned Capitol rioter to be arrested on new, separate charges. But he is the first to be charged with making a violent threat against a member of Congress.

    Critics of the president’s blanket pardons of Jan. 6 defendants have warned about the risk of recidivism by rioters, many of whom remained defiant and unapologetic about their roles in the attack. The rioters have been defended and lionized publicly as “hostages” by Mr. Trump.

    In a March 2025 floor speech, Sen. Dick Durbin, a member of Senate Democratic leadership from Illinois, listed the names of accused rioters who had been arrested again. Durbin cited the case of Matthew Huttle, who was accused of “raising a firearm at police” in early 2025 and “acknowledged he was a January 6th defendant who stormed the Capitol,” according to Durbin. Huttle was fatally shot by police during the traffic stop.  

    Zachary Alam, who was convicted of eight felonies for his role in the Capitol riot, was arrested weeks after his 2025 presidential pardon for allegedly breaking and entering a home near Richmond, Virginia.

    Other Jan. 6 defendants have since been arrested for other alleged criminal infractions that occurred before the siege or in the years between 2021 and the pardon. 

    The alleged threat against Jeffries is also part of a fast-growing wave of threats against legislators. In a statement last month, Capitol Police said the number of threat investigations in 2025 had already eclipsed 14,000, more than the number of cases in all of 2024.  

    The Capitol riot injured more than 140 police officers and caused millions of dollars of damage to the Capitol complex. It interrupted the certification of the electoral vote from the 2020 election and triggered the evacuation of Congress, with leadership sent to a secure, secret location.

    Some rioters chanted to hang then-Vice President Mike Pence, threatened to kill then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and beat police officers with dozens of makeshift weapons, including bats, sticks, poles, bear spray and beams. Some were accused of carrying guns, knives and handmade weapons.

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  • Senate Republicans head to White House as government shutdown enters fourth week

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    As the government shutdown enters its fourth week, Senate Republicans are headed to the White House on Tuesday — not for urgent talks on how to end it, but for a display of unity with President Donald Trump as they refuse to negotiate on any Democratic demands.Senate Democrats, too, are confident in their strategy to keep voting against a House-passed bill that would reopen the government until Republicans, including Trump, engage them on extending health care subsidies that expire at the end of the year.With both sides showing no signs of movement, it’s unclear how long the stalemate will last — even as hundreds of thousands of federal workers will miss another paycheck in the coming days and states are sounding warnings that key federal programs will soon lapse completely. And the meeting at the White House appears unlikely, for now, to lead to a bipartisan resolution as Senate Republicans are dug in and Trump has followed their lead.“I think the president’s ready to get involved on having the discussion” about extending the subsidies, said Senate Republican leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Monday. “But I don’t think they are prepared to do that until (Democrats) open up the government.”Missed paychecks and programs running out of moneyWhile Capitol Hill remains at a standstill, the effects of the shutdown are worsening. Federal workers are set to miss additional paychecks amid total uncertainty about when they might eventually get paid. Government services like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, and Head Start preschool programs that serve needy families are facing potential cutoffs in funding. On Monday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the National Nuclear Security Administration is furloughing 1,400 federal workers. The Federal Aviation Administration has reported air controller shortages and flight delays in cities across the United States.Still, there has been little urgency in Washington as each side believes the other will eventually cave.“Our position remains the same, we want to end the shutdown as soon as we can and fix the ACA premium crisis that looms over 20 million hardworking Americans,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday, referring to the expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire in December.Schumer called the White House meeting a “pep rally” and said it was “shameful” that House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has kept the House out of town during the shutdown.November deadlinesMembers of both parties acknowledge that as the shutdown drags on, it is becoming less likely every day that Congress will be able to either extend the subsidies or fund the government through the regular appropriations process. The House GOP bill that Senate Democrats have now rejected 11 times would only keep the government open through Nov. 21.Thune on Monday hinted that Republicans may propose a longer extension of current funding instead of passing individual spending bills if the shutdown doesn’t end soon. Congress would need to pass an extension beyond Nov. 21, he said, “if not something on a much longer-term basis.”Democrats are focused on Nov. 1, when next year’s enrollment period for the ACA coverage begins and millions of people will sign up for their coverage without the expanded subsidy help that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once those sign-ups begin, they say, it would be much harder to restore the subsidies even if they did have a bipartisan compromise.“Very soon Americans are going to have to make some really difficult choices about which health care plan they choose for next year,” Schumer said.What about Trump?Tuesday’s White House meeting will be a chance for Republican senators to engage with the president on the shutdown after he has been more involved in foreign policy and other issues.The president last week dismissed Democratic demands as “crazy,” adding, “We’re just not going to do it.”North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven said that Republican senators will talk strategy with the president at Tuesday’s lunch. “Obviously, we’ll talk to him about it, and he’ll give us his ideas, and we’ll talk about ours,” Hoeven said. “Anything we can do to try to get Democrats to join us” and pass the Republican bill to reopen the government, Hoeven said.Still, GOP lawmakers expect Trump to stay in line with their current posture to reject negotiations until the government is open.“Until they put something reasonable on the table to talk about, I don’t think there’s anything to talk about,” said Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy.Democrats say they believe Trump has to be more involved for the government to reopen.“He needs to get off the sidelines, get off the golf course,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. “We know that House and Senate Republicans don’t do anything without getting permission from their boss, Donald J. Trump.”___Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

    WASHINGTON —

    As the government shutdown enters its fourth week, Senate Republicans are headed to the White House on Tuesday — not for urgent talks on how to end it, but for a display of unity with President Donald Trump as they refuse to negotiate on any Democratic demands.

    Senate Democrats, too, are confident in their strategy to keep voting against a House-passed bill that would reopen the government until Republicans, including Trump, engage them on extending health care subsidies that expire at the end of the year.

    With both sides showing no signs of movement, it’s unclear how long the stalemate will last — even as hundreds of thousands of federal workers will miss another paycheck in the coming days and states are sounding warnings that key federal programs will soon lapse completely. And the meeting at the White House appears unlikely, for now, to lead to a bipartisan resolution as Senate Republicans are dug in and Trump has followed their lead.

    “I think the president’s ready to get involved on having the discussion” about extending the subsidies, said Senate Republican leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Monday. “But I don’t think they are prepared to do that until (Democrats) open up the government.”

    Missed paychecks and programs running out of money

    While Capitol Hill remains at a standstill, the effects of the shutdown are worsening. Federal workers are set to miss additional paychecks amid total uncertainty about when they might eventually get paid. Government services like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, and Head Start preschool programs that serve needy families are facing potential cutoffs in funding. On Monday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the National Nuclear Security Administration is furloughing 1,400 federal workers. The Federal Aviation Administration has reported air controller shortages and flight delays in cities across the United States.

    Still, there has been little urgency in Washington as each side believes the other will eventually cave.

    “Our position remains the same, we want to end the shutdown as soon as we can and fix the ACA premium crisis that looms over 20 million hardworking Americans,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday, referring to the expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies that expire in December.

    Schumer called the White House meeting a “pep rally” and said it was “shameful” that House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has kept the House out of town during the shutdown.

    November deadlines

    Members of both parties acknowledge that as the shutdown drags on, it is becoming less likely every day that Congress will be able to either extend the subsidies or fund the government through the regular appropriations process. The House GOP bill that Senate Democrats have now rejected 11 times would only keep the government open through Nov. 21.

    Thune on Monday hinted that Republicans may propose a longer extension of current funding instead of passing individual spending bills if the shutdown doesn’t end soon. Congress would need to pass an extension beyond Nov. 21, he said, “if not something on a much longer-term basis.”

    Democrats are focused on Nov. 1, when next year’s enrollment period for the ACA coverage begins and millions of people will sign up for their coverage without the expanded subsidy help that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Once those sign-ups begin, they say, it would be much harder to restore the subsidies even if they did have a bipartisan compromise.

    “Very soon Americans are going to have to make some really difficult choices about which health care plan they choose for next year,” Schumer said.

    What about Trump?

    Tuesday’s White House meeting will be a chance for Republican senators to engage with the president on the shutdown after he has been more involved in foreign policy and other issues.

    The president last week dismissed Democratic demands as “crazy,” adding, “We’re just not going to do it.”

    North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven said that Republican senators will talk strategy with the president at Tuesday’s lunch. “Obviously, we’ll talk to him about it, and he’ll give us his ideas, and we’ll talk about ours,” Hoeven said. “Anything we can do to try to get Democrats to join us” and pass the Republican bill to reopen the government, Hoeven said.

    Still, GOP lawmakers expect Trump to stay in line with their current posture to reject negotiations until the government is open.

    “Until they put something reasonable on the table to talk about, I don’t think there’s anything to talk about,” said Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy.

    Democrats say they believe Trump has to be more involved for the government to reopen.

    “He needs to get off the sidelines, get off the golf course,” said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. “We know that House and Senate Republicans don’t do anything without getting permission from their boss, Donald J. Trump.”

    ___

    Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Stephen Groves and Matt Brown contributed to this report.

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  • White House Cancels I-5 Closure Plans During Marine Corps Anniversary

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    The White House alters plans to shut down the I-5 for a military event at Camp Pendleton; The Freeway will remain open as ‘No Kings Day’ protests and the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps are underway this weekend.

    This weekend, the White House intended to shut down part of the 5 Freeway between Los Angeles and San Diego due to a live fire demonstration for a military event happening at Camp Pendleton. However, after receiving concerned responses from local officials and residents, the 5 Freeway will now stay open during the event.

    In a news release from the same day, the U.S Marines confirmed, “All training events will occur on approved training ranges and comport with established safety protocols. No public highways or transportation routes will be closed.”

    The military event is scheduled for this Saturday, which marks the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps. The event is set to feature a live-fire and amphibious assault demonstration, which could include firing missiles over the Freeway and onto Camp Pendleton. It is also reported that Navy ships will fire missiles around the coast of the base.

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other military leaders are set to attend the event, which has been titled “America’s Marines 250: Sea to Shore – A Review of Amphibious Strength”.

    Christopher Clark, a spokesperson for Caltrans, told SFGATE they were “informed of potential plans” to close the highway and “cautioned against it.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom addressed plans to close I-5 with a post on X on October 15th, writing, “Donald Trump and JD Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships is how you respect the military. PUT ASIDE YOUR VANITY PARADE AND PAY OUR TROOPS INSTEAD.

    If road closures had happened, they would likely result in extreme congestion from Dana Point to past Del Mar. The road services over 80,000 travelers, who would all have to find alternate routes of up to 30 additional miles.

    Scroll to continue reading

    Following the Marine Corps’ announcement that I-5 would remain open, Governor Newsom’s press office responded on X, writing: “We’re relieved the White House backed off its plans to shut down a major interstate. Now that I-5 will stay open, we hope the Trump Administration applies that same common sense to reopening the federal government!”

    The Marine Corps anniversary comes amid the ongoing government shutdown, as thousands of federal workers are working without pay as lawmakers scramble to find a solution. On Wednesday, a ninth attempt at voting to fund the government ended unsuccessfully, leading into the third week of nationwide shutdowns.

    Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Leader of the U.S House of Representatives, said, “We are ready, willing to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the American people.”

    Air traffic controller Peter Lefevre said about the shutdown, “Not knowing how I’m going to have child care for my kids, put gas in the car or pay the next mortgage payment, adds a certain level of stress to an already stressful profession.”

    The spectacular event is the latest in a series of costly military investments made by the administration at the expense of taxpayers. While the military continues to see significant budget increases, Federal workers, active duty members and American citizens are facing budget cuts and economic hardship. All the while, the government remains at a standstill over the future of its funding.

    The event at Camp Pendleton coincides with another round of ‘No Kings Day’ protests scheduled for this weekend. Upcoming demonstrations are expected to bring out millions of citizens across the country who oppose the current administration.

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    Natalia Oprzadek

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  • Jeffries blasts

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    Jeffries blasts “dirty partisan bill” and continues to blame Republicans about shutdown – CBS News










































    Watch CBS News



    Senate Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is slamming Republicans and blaming them for the government shutdown as senators leave D.C. CBS News’ Nikole Killion reports.

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  • Government shutdown threatens to drag on through weekend with lawmakers deadlocked

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    As the Senate meets Friday for another vote to reopen the federal government, Democrats are refusing to yield without a deal from President Donald Trump — likely extending the government shutdown into next week.Democrats say not even the threat of mass firings and canceled federal projects will force them to accept the GOP short-term funding proposal without major policy concessions on health care.A top White House official warned Thursday that the number of federal workers who could be fired because of the shutdown is “likely going to be in the thousands.” Trump hasn’t made public his exact targets yet, though he met with White House budget chief Russ Vought on Thursday to discuss the plan.The White House already has a list – put together by Vought’s Office of Management and Budget in coordination with federal agencies – of the agencies they are targeting with the firings, according to two White House officials. While details are still being sorted, according to the officials, announcements could come in the coming days on which are on the chopping block for not aligning with the president’s priorities.Speaking on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries skewered the president and his team for what he called their “retribution effort” against Democrats, but made clear his party would not relent. He added that neither he nor Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have received a call from Trump or GOP leaders for negotiations since the group met at the White House Monday.“Democrats are in this fight until we win this fight,” Jeffries said when asked if Democrats could accept a deal without an extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that his party has been seeking. “This is the first week of the shutdown but we’ve had months of chaos and cruelty unleashed on the American people.”With the two parties still bitterly divided, the deadlocked Senate is expected to leave town for the weekend, which means neither chamber will vote again until at least Monday. With no ongoing talks between the two parties, many Senate Republicans plan to decamp to Sea Island, Georgia, this weekend for a major weekend fundraiser. The National Republican Senatorial Committee informed attendees in an email this week that the event was non-refundable and contracted years in advance — long before the current organization’s leadership, according to two people familiar with the matter.Democrats, too, have a scheduled fundraiser later this month. That event in Napa, California, is set to take place on Oct. 13. A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said they did not have information about whether the event was still on, though one of the featured attendees, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, has already informed organizers that she won’t be attending if there is a shutdown, according to a person familiar with the planning.Inside the Capitol, lawmakers and their staff are bracing for a lapse that could last into mid-October, with fears rising that government workers will miss a paycheck next week.GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota described Friday’s vote as “crucial,” warning that “things go south real quick” if the government isn’t reopened before the weekend.Rounds is one of the few Republicans publicly anxious about the potential harms of an extended shutdown on the federal workforce, and has worked behind the scenes with some Democrats to find a way out of it. The end needs to come as quickly as possible, he warned, suggesting that Democrats could soon see the White House take an ax to programs that they heavily favor if the shutdown doesn’t end.“I think it’s gonna bite them harder than it does us,” Rounds told reporters Thursday. “There’s a whole lot of things out there that the Democrats care about that are not consistent with the president’s policies, and those are the first things at risk.”Senate Majority Leader John Thune remained firm Thursday when asked about how the shutdown would end. He said Democrats would have a fourth chance on Friday to vote to open the government: “If that fails, then they can have the weekend to think about it, we’ll come back, we’ll vote again on Monday.”“My Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far-left base, but they’re playing a losing game here,” he added.

    WASHINGTON —

    As the Senate meets Friday for another vote to reopen the federal government, Democrats are refusing to yield without a deal from President Donald Trump — likely extending the government shutdown into next week.

    Democrats say not even the threat of mass firings and canceled federal projects will force them to accept the GOP short-term funding proposal without major policy concessions on health care.

    A top White House official warned Thursday that the number of federal workers who could be fired because of the shutdown is “likely going to be in the thousands.” Trump hasn’t made public his exact targets yet, though he met with White House budget chief Russ Vought on Thursday to discuss the plan.

    The White House already has a list – put together by Vought’s Office of Management and Budget in coordination with federal agencies – of the agencies they are targeting with the firings, according to two White House officials. While details are still being sorted, according to the officials, announcements could come in the coming days on which are on the chopping block for not aligning with the president’s priorities.

    Speaking on the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries skewered the president and his team for what he called their “retribution effort” against Democrats, but made clear his party would not relent. He added that neither he nor Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have received a call from Trump or GOP leaders for negotiations since the group met at the White House Monday.

    “Democrats are in this fight until we win this fight,” Jeffries said when asked if Democrats could accept a deal without an extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that his party has been seeking. “This is the first week of the shutdown but we’ve had months of chaos and cruelty unleashed on the American people.”

    With the two parties still bitterly divided, the deadlocked Senate is expected to leave town for the weekend, which means neither chamber will vote again until at least Monday. With no ongoing talks between the two parties, many Senate Republicans plan to decamp to Sea Island, Georgia, this weekend for a major weekend fundraiser. The National Republican Senatorial Committee informed attendees in an email this week that the event was non-refundable and contracted years in advance — long before the current organization’s leadership, according to two people familiar with the matter.

    Democrats, too, have a scheduled fundraiser later this month. That event in Napa, California, is set to take place on Oct. 13. A spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said they did not have information about whether the event was still on, though one of the featured attendees, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland, has already informed organizers that she won’t be attending if there is a shutdown, according to a person familiar with the planning.

    Inside the Capitol, lawmakers and their staff are bracing for a lapse that could last into mid-October, with fears rising that government workers will miss a paycheck next week.

    GOP Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota described Friday’s vote as “crucial,” warning that “things go south real quick” if the government isn’t reopened before the weekend.

    Rounds is one of the few Republicans publicly anxious about the potential harms of an extended shutdown on the federal workforce, and has worked behind the scenes with some Democrats to find a way out of it. The end needs to come as quickly as possible, he warned, suggesting that Democrats could soon see the White House take an ax to programs that they heavily favor if the shutdown doesn’t end.

    “I think it’s gonna bite them harder than it does us,” Rounds told reporters Thursday. “There’s a whole lot of things out there that the Democrats care about that are not consistent with the president’s policies, and those are the first things at risk.”

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune remained firm Thursday when asked about how the shutdown would end. He said Democrats would have a fourth chance on Friday to vote to open the government: “If that fails, then they can have the weekend to think about it, we’ll come back, we’ll vote again on Monday.”

    “My Democrat colleagues are facing pressure from members of their far-left base, but they’re playing a losing game here,” he added.

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  • Vance Explains Trump’s Racist Shutdown Posts Are ‘Funny’

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    Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

    During previous government shutdowns, both Democratic and Republican leaders have tried to demonstrate that they are taking the situation very seriously. Even if leaders aren’t genuinely concerned about the furloughed federal employees and the stalled work of Washington, they at least want to ensure the other side takes the blame.

    President Trump is trying a somewhat different approach: repeatedly posting racist AI-generated videos featuring Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries.

    Trump posted the first video on Monday night, hours after meeting with the Democrats to negotiate a way to avoid the impending shutdown. In the video, Fake Jeffries wears a sombrero and a giant mustache. Meanwhile, Fake Schumer says over mariachi music:

    There’s no way to sugarcoat it — nobody likes Democrats anymore. We have no voters left because of our woke, trans bullshit. Not even Black people want to vote for us anymore; even Latinos hate us. So we need new votes. And if we give all these illegal aliens free health care, we might be able to get them on our side so they can vote for us. They can’t even speak English, so they won’t realize we’re just a bunch of woke pieces of shit; you know, at least for a while, until they learn English and realize they hate us too.

    For those not fluent in false and idiotic MAGA memes, the Mexican theme is meant to highlight their bogus claim that Democrats are demanding free health care for “illegal aliens.” While Trump’s Truth Social feed is always filled with nasty insults and AI slop, this wasn’t something he just casually reposted. He clearly wanted everyone to see it, as he also shared the video on X.

    Jeffries called the post “disgusting” in an appearance on MSNBC, adding, “We’re going to continue to make clear bigotry will get you nowhere.” The following day, cameras caught Democratic representative Madeleine Dean confronting House Speaker Mike Johnson about the video, begging him to speak out against it. The strongest condemnation the Speaker could muster was telling her, “I think it wasn’t my style.”

    If Johnson said anything privately to Trump, which seems doubtful, he didn’t listen. A little over an hour before the shutdown went into effect at midnight on Wednesday, Trump shared a second racist deepfake video. It showed the clip of Jeffries condemning the first video on MSNBC but added in a sombrero, mustache, and all-Trump mariachi band.

    Trump also posted some photos from his negotiations with Democratic leaders in the Oval Office, which prominently featured “Trump 2028” hats.

    Jeffries confirmed on CNN that the hats weren’t an AI invention: They actually “just randomly appeared in the middle of the meeting on the desk.” He said he asked the vice-president if he had an issue with Trump suggesting he’ll seek an unconstitutional third term.

    “I just looked at the hat, looked at J.D. Vance, who was seated to my left, and said, ‘Don’t you got a problem with this?’ and he said, ‘No comment,’” Jeffries said. “And that was the end of it.”

    So it seems like Trump is more interested in trolling Democrats than negotiating with them — almost like he wants this shutdown to drag on for some reason. But surely other administration officials are upset by Trump’s offensive and unserious negotiation tactics?

    Nah! When asked about Trump’s trolling social-media posts on Wednesday afternoon, Vance suggested we all need to lighten up.

    “Oh, I think it’s funny!” the vice-president said. “The president is joking, and we’re having a good time. You can negotiate in good faith while also poking a little bit of fun at some of the absurdities of the Democrats’ positions and even poking some fun at the absurdities of the Democrats themselves.”

    Vance added, “I’ll tell Hakeem Jeffries right now: I make this solemn promise to you that if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes will stop.”

    So if you aren’t “having a good time” with this shutdown, that’s really on you. Have you tried experiencing it as an extremely powerful white guy who doesn’t have to worry about losing a few paychecks?


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    Margaret Hartmann

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