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Tag: John Thune

  • Senate rejects extension of health care subsidies as costs are set to rise for millions of Americans

    The Senate on Thursday rejected legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year.Senators rejected a Democratic bill to extend the subsidies for three years and a Republican alternative that would have created new health savings accounts — an unceremonious end to a monthslong effort by Democrats to prevent the COVID-19-era subsidies from expiring on Jan. 1.Ahead of the votes, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York warned Republicans that if they did not vote to extend the tax credits, “there won’t be another chance to act,” before premiums rise for many people who buy insurance off the ACA marketplaces.”Let’s avert a disaster,” Schumer said. “The American people are watching.”Republicans have argued that Affordable Care Act plans are too expensive and need to be overhauled. The health savings accounts in the GOP bill would give money directly to consumers instead of to insurance companies, an idea that has been echoed by President Donald Trump. But Democrats immediately rejected the plan, saying that the accounts wouldn’t be enough to cover costs for most consumers.Some Republicans have pushed their colleagues to extend the credits, including Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who said they should vote for a short-term extension so they can find agreement on the issue next year. “It’s too complicated and too difficult to get done in the limited time that we have left,” Tillis said Wednesday.But despite the bipartisan desire to continue the credits, Republicans and Democrats have never engaged in meaningful or high-level negotiations on a solution, even after a small group of centrist Democrats struck a deal with Republicans last month to end the 43-day government shutdown in exchange for a vote on extending the ACA subsidies. Most Democratic lawmakers opposed the move as many Republicans made clear that they wanted the tax credits to expire.The deal raised hopes for bipartisan compromise on health care. But that quickly faded with a lack of any real bipartisan talks.The dueling Senate votes are the latest political messaging exercise in a Congress that has operated almost entirely on partisan terms, as Republicans pushed through a massive tax and spending cuts bill this summer using budget maneuvers that eliminated the need for Democratic votes. They also tweaked Senate rules to push past a Democratic blockade of all of Trump’s nominees. An intractable issueThe votes were also the latest failed salvo in the debate over the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature law that Democrats passed along party lines in 2010 to expand access to insurance coverage.Republicans have tried unsuccessfully since then to repeal or overhaul the law, arguing that health care is still too expensive. But they have struggled to find an alternative. In the meantime, Democrats have made the policy a central political issue in several elections, betting that the millions of people who buy health care on the government marketplaces want to keep their coverage.”When people’s monthly payments spike next year, they’ll know it was Republicans that made it happen,” Schumer said in November, while making clear that Democrats would not seek compromise.Even if they view it as a political win, the failed votes are a loss for Democrats who demanded an extension of the benefits as they forced a government shutdown for six weeks in October and November — and for the millions of people facing premium increases on Jan. 1.Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said the group tried to negotiate with Republicans after the shutdown ended. But, he said, the talks became unproductive when Republicans demanded language adding new limits for abortion coverage that were a “red line” for Democrats. He said Republicans were going to “own these increases.”A plethora of plans, but little agreementRepublicans have used the looming expiration of the subsidies to renew their longstanding criticisms of the ACA, also called Obamacare, and to try, once more, to agree on what should be done.Thune announced earlier this week that the GOP conference had decided to vote on the bill led by Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, the chairman of the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee, and Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, even as several Republican senators proposed alternate ideas.In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has promised a vote next week. Republicans weighed different options in a conference meeting on Wednesday, with no apparent consensus.Republican moderates in the House who could have competitive reelection bids next year are pushing Johnson to find a way to extend the subsidies. But more conservative members want to see the law overhauled.Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., has pushed for a temporary extension, which he said could be an opening to take further steps on health care.If they fail to act and health care costs go up, the approval rating for Congress “will get even lower,” Kiley said.___Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

    WASHINGTON —

    The Senate on Thursday rejected legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year.

    Senators rejected a Democratic bill to extend the subsidies for three years and a Republican alternative that would have created new health savings accounts — an unceremonious end to a monthslong effort by Democrats to prevent the COVID-19-era subsidies from expiring on Jan. 1.

    Ahead of the votes, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York warned Republicans that if they did not vote to extend the tax credits, “there won’t be another chance to act,” before premiums rise for many people who buy insurance off the ACA marketplaces.

    “Let’s avert a disaster,” Schumer said. “The American people are watching.”

    Republicans have argued that Affordable Care Act plans are too expensive and need to be overhauled. The health savings accounts in the GOP bill would give money directly to consumers instead of to insurance companies, an idea that has been echoed by President Donald Trump. But Democrats immediately rejected the plan, saying that the accounts wouldn’t be enough to cover costs for most consumers.

    Some Republicans have pushed their colleagues to extend the credits, including Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who said they should vote for a short-term extension so they can find agreement on the issue next year. “It’s too complicated and too difficult to get done in the limited time that we have left,” Tillis said Wednesday.

    But despite the bipartisan desire to continue the credits, Republicans and Democrats have never engaged in meaningful or high-level negotiations on a solution, even after a small group of centrist Democrats struck a deal with Republicans last month to end the 43-day government shutdown in exchange for a vote on extending the ACA subsidies. Most Democratic lawmakers opposed the move as many Republicans made clear that they wanted the tax credits to expire.

    The deal raised hopes for bipartisan compromise on health care. But that quickly faded with a lack of any real bipartisan talks.

    The dueling Senate votes are the latest political messaging exercise in a Congress that has operated almost entirely on partisan terms, as Republicans pushed through a massive tax and spending cuts bill this summer using budget maneuvers that eliminated the need for Democratic votes. They also tweaked Senate rules to push past a Democratic blockade of all of Trump’s nominees.

    An intractable issue

    The votes were also the latest failed salvo in the debate over the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature law that Democrats passed along party lines in 2010 to expand access to insurance coverage.

    Republicans have tried unsuccessfully since then to repeal or overhaul the law, arguing that health care is still too expensive. But they have struggled to find an alternative. In the meantime, Democrats have made the policy a central political issue in several elections, betting that the millions of people who buy health care on the government marketplaces want to keep their coverage.

    “When people’s monthly payments spike next year, they’ll know it was Republicans that made it happen,” Schumer said in November, while making clear that Democrats would not seek compromise.

    Even if they view it as a political win, the failed votes are a loss for Democrats who demanded an extension of the benefits as they forced a government shutdown for six weeks in October and November — and for the millions of people facing premium increases on Jan. 1.

    Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said the group tried to negotiate with Republicans after the shutdown ended. But, he said, the talks became unproductive when Republicans demanded language adding new limits for abortion coverage that were a “red line” for Democrats. He said Republicans were going to “own these increases.”

    A plethora of plans, but little agreement

    Republicans have used the looming expiration of the subsidies to renew their longstanding criticisms of the ACA, also called Obamacare, and to try, once more, to agree on what should be done.

    Thune announced earlier this week that the GOP conference had decided to vote on the bill led by Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, the chairman of the Senate Health, Labor, Education and Pensions Committee, and Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, even as several Republican senators proposed alternate ideas.

    In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has promised a vote next week. Republicans weighed different options in a conference meeting on Wednesday, with no apparent consensus.

    Republican moderates in the House who could have competitive reelection bids next year are pushing Johnson to find a way to extend the subsidies. But more conservative members want to see the law overhauled.

    Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., has pushed for a temporary extension, which he said could be an opening to take further steps on health care.

    If they fail to act and health care costs go up, the approval rating for Congress “will get even lower,” Kiley said.

    ___

    Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

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  • A historic shutdown is nearly over. It leaves no winners and much frustration

    The longest government shutdown in history could conclude as soon as today, Day 43, with almost no one happy with the final result.Democrats didn’t get the health insurance provisions they demanded added to the spending deal. And Republicans, who control the levers of power in Washington, didn’t escape blame, according to polls and some state and local elections that went poorly for them.The fallout of the shutdown landed on millions of Americans, including federal workers who went without paychecks and airline passengers who had their trips delayed or canceled. An interruption in nutrition assistance programs contributed to long lines at food banks and added emotional distress going into the holiday season.The agreement includes bipartisan bills worked out by the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things. All other funding would be extended until the end of January, giving lawmakers more than two months to finish additional spending bills.Here’s a look at how the shutdown started and is likely to end.What led to the shutdownDemocrats made several demands to win their support for a short-term funding bill, but the central one was an extension of an enhanced tax credit that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.The tax credit was boosted during the COVID response, again through Joe Biden’s big energy and health care bill, and it’s set to expire at the end of December. Without it, 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.“Never have American families faced a situation where their health care costs are set to double — double in the blink of an eye,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.While Democrats called for negotiations on the matter, Republicans said a funding bill would need to be passed first.“Republicans are ready to sit down with Democrats just as soon as they stop holding the government hostage to their partisan demands,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.Thune eventually promised Democrats a December vote on the tax credit extension to help resolve the standoff, but many Democrats demanded a guaranteed fix, not just a vote that is likely to fail.Thune’s position was much the same as the one Schumer took back in October 2013, when Republicans unsuccessfully sought to roll back parts of the Affordable Care Act in exchange for funding the government. “Open up all of the government, and then we can have a fruitful discussion,” Schumer said then.Democratic leaders under pressureThe first year of President Donald Trump’s second term has seen more than 200,000 federal workers leave their job through firings, forced relocations or the administration’s deferred resignation program, according to the Partnership for Public Service. Whole agencies that don’t align with the administration’s priorities have been dismantled. And billions of dollars previously approved by Congress have been frozen or canceled.Democrats have had to rely on the courts to block some of Trump’s efforts, but they have been unable to do it through legislation. They were also powerless to stop Trump’s big tax cut and immigration crackdown bill that Republicans helped pay for by cutting future spending on safety net programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.The Democrats’ struggles to blunt the Trump administration’s priorities has prompted calls for the party’s congressional leadership to take a more forceful response.Schumer experienced that firsthand after announcing in March that he would support moving ahead with a funding bill for the 2025 budget year. There was a protest at his office, calls from progressives that he be primaried in 2028 and suggestions that the Democratic Party would soon be looking for new leaders.This time around, Schumer demanded that Republicans negotiate with Democrats to get their votes on a spending bill. The Senate rules, he noted, requires bipartisan support to meet the 60-vote threshold necessary to advance a spending bill.But those negotiations did not occur, at least not with Schumer. Republicans instead worked with a small group of eight Democrats to tee up a short-term bill to fund the government generally at current levels and accused Schumer of catering to the party’s left flank when he refused to go along.“The Senate Democrats are afraid that the radicals in their party will say that they caved,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said at one of his many daily press conferences.The blame gameThe political stakes in the shutdown are huge, which is why leaders in both parties have held nearly daily press briefings to shape public opinion.Roughly 6 in 10 Americans say Trump and Republicans in Congress have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of responsibility for the shutdown, while 54% say the same about Democrats in Congress, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.At least three-quarters of Americans believe each deserves at least a “moderate” share of blame, underscoring that no one was successfully evading responsibility.Both parties looked to the Nov. 4 elections in Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere for signs of how the shutdown was influencing public opinion. Democrats took comfort in their overwhelming successes. Trump called it a “big factor, negative” for Republicans. But it did not change the GOP’s stance on negotiating. Instead, Trump ramped up calls for Republicans to end the filibuster in the Senate, which would pretty much eliminate the need for the majority party to ever negotiate with the minority.Damage of the shutdownThe Congressional Budget Office says that the negative impact on the economy will be mostly recovered once the shutdown ends, but not entirely. It estimated the permanent economic loss at about $11 billion for a six-week shutdown.Beyond the numbers, though, the shutdown created a cascade of troubles for many Americans. Federal workers missed paychecks, causing financial and emotional stress. Travelers had their flights delayed and at times canceled. People who rely on safety net programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program saw their benefits stopped, and Americans throughout the country lined up for meals at food banks.”This dysfunction is damaging enough to our constituents and economy here at home, but it also sends a dangerous message to the watching world,” said Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. “It demonstrates to our allies that we are an unreliable partner, and it signals to our adversaries that we can’t work together to meet even the most fundamental responsibilities of Congress.”

    WASHINGTON —

    The longest government shutdown in history could conclude as soon as today, Day 43, with almost no one happy with the final result.

    Democrats didn’t get the health insurance provisions they demanded added to the spending deal. And Republicans, who control the levers of power in Washington, didn’t escape blame, according to polls and some state and local elections that went poorly for them.

    The fallout of the shutdown landed on millions of Americans, including federal workers who went without paychecks and airline passengers who had their trips delayed or canceled. An interruption in nutrition assistance programs contributed to long lines at food banks and added emotional distress going into the holiday season.

    The agreement includes bipartisan bills worked out by the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things. All other funding would be extended until the end of January, giving lawmakers more than two months to finish additional spending bills.

    Here’s a look at how the shutdown started and is likely to end.

    What led to the shutdown

    Democrats made several demands to win their support for a short-term funding bill, but the central one was an extension of an enhanced tax credit that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through Affordable Care Act marketplaces.

    The tax credit was boosted during the COVID response, again through Joe Biden’s big energy and health care bill, and it’s set to expire at the end of December. Without it, 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.

    “Never have American families faced a situation where their health care costs are set to double — double in the blink of an eye,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

    While Democrats called for negotiations on the matter, Republicans said a funding bill would need to be passed first.

    “Republicans are ready to sit down with Democrats just as soon as they stop holding the government hostage to their partisan demands,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said.

    Thune eventually promised Democrats a December vote on the tax credit extension to help resolve the standoff, but many Democrats demanded a guaranteed fix, not just a vote that is likely to fail.

    Thune’s position was much the same as the one Schumer took back in October 2013, when Republicans unsuccessfully sought to roll back parts of the Affordable Care Act in exchange for funding the government. “Open up all of the government, and then we can have a fruitful discussion,” Schumer said then.

    Democratic leaders under pressure

    The first year of President Donald Trump’s second term has seen more than 200,000 federal workers leave their job through firings, forced relocations or the administration’s deferred resignation program, according to the Partnership for Public Service. Whole agencies that don’t align with the administration’s priorities have been dismantled. And billions of dollars previously approved by Congress have been frozen or canceled.

    Democrats have had to rely on the courts to block some of Trump’s efforts, but they have been unable to do it through legislation. They were also powerless to stop Trump’s big tax cut and immigration crackdown bill that Republicans helped pay for by cutting future spending on safety net programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.

    The Democrats’ struggles to blunt the Trump administration’s priorities has prompted calls for the party’s congressional leadership to take a more forceful response.

    Schumer experienced that firsthand after announcing in March that he would support moving ahead with a funding bill for the 2025 budget year. There was a protest at his office, calls from progressives that he be primaried in 2028 and suggestions that the Democratic Party would soon be looking for new leaders.

    This time around, Schumer demanded that Republicans negotiate with Democrats to get their votes on a spending bill. The Senate rules, he noted, requires bipartisan support to meet the 60-vote threshold necessary to advance a spending bill.

    But those negotiations did not occur, at least not with Schumer. Republicans instead worked with a small group of eight Democrats to tee up a short-term bill to fund the government generally at current levels and accused Schumer of catering to the party’s left flank when he refused to go along.

    “The Senate Democrats are afraid that the radicals in their party will say that they caved,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said at one of his many daily press conferences.

    The blame game

    The political stakes in the shutdown are huge, which is why leaders in both parties have held nearly daily press briefings to shape public opinion.

    Roughly 6 in 10 Americans say Trump and Republicans in Congress have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of responsibility for the shutdown, while 54% say the same about Democrats in Congress, according to the poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

    At least three-quarters of Americans believe each deserves at least a “moderate” share of blame, underscoring that no one was successfully evading responsibility.

    Both parties looked to the Nov. 4 elections in Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere for signs of how the shutdown was influencing public opinion. Democrats took comfort in their overwhelming successes. Trump called it a “big factor, negative” for Republicans. But it did not change the GOP’s stance on negotiating. Instead, Trump ramped up calls for Republicans to end the filibuster in the Senate, which would pretty much eliminate the need for the majority party to ever negotiate with the minority.

    Damage of the shutdown

    The Congressional Budget Office says that the negative impact on the economy will be mostly recovered once the shutdown ends, but not entirely. It estimated the permanent economic loss at about $11 billion for a six-week shutdown.

    Beyond the numbers, though, the shutdown created a cascade of troubles for many Americans. Federal workers missed paychecks, causing financial and emotional stress. Travelers had their flights delayed and at times canceled. People who rely on safety net programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program saw their benefits stopped, and Americans throughout the country lined up for meals at food banks.

    “This dysfunction is damaging enough to our constituents and economy here at home, but it also sends a dangerous message to the watching world,” said Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. “It demonstrates to our allies that we are an unreliable partner, and it signals to our adversaries that we can’t work together to meet even the most fundamental responsibilities of Congress.”

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  • Watch: John Thune speaks during rare Saturday session on government shutdown



    Watch: John Thune speaks during rare Saturday session on government shutdown – CBS News










































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    Senators convened for a Saturday session on the 39th day of the record-breaking government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune spoke as both sides still appeared far apart.

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  • Only Trump Can Reopen the Government. But He’s Not in the Mood.

    Deal-making overseas is so much more interesting than deal-making at home.
    Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

    Before last night’s off-year elections, there was quiet momentum in Washington toward an end to the government shutdown, which has officially become the longest one in U.S. history. Among Senate Democrats, there was angst over the damage being done to public employees and SNAP beneficiaries and some confidence that public reaction to Obamacare-premium spikes would lead Republicans to agree to a subsidy extension after the government reopened. Among congressional Republicans, there was a realization that the public was blaming them for the shutdown and a recognition that Democrats needed some sort of moral victory in order to give up the fight. And among appropriators of both parties, there was a desperate desire to return to bipartisan spending decisions instead of lurching from shutdown threats to stopgap spending bills and back again. So a deal seemed likely.

    But only one person could make a deal possible: President Donald Trump. Without his personal involvement, no Democrat could trust that a deal would be honored. And without his personal pressure, too many House Republicans would refuse to make any concessions to Democrats at all, particularly if it involved the hated Obamacare program. Yes, Trump was too distracted by his recent world travels to cut deals and lobby for peace prizes. But he’d eventually focus, particularly after Senate Republicans made it clear they wouldn’t just cut to the chase by killing the filibuster and crushing Democrats without negotiations.

    Then last night happened, and suddenly it’s not at all clear if the government is reopening soon. Trump publicly blamed Republican losses on the shutdown and accurately pointed out the quickest solution to that problem was for Republicans to follow his earlier instructions: Kill the filibuster, and impose a reopening on Democrats by a simple majority vote in the Senate. During what Axios described as an “uncomfortable breakfast” with Republican senators who were sorting through the ashes of the off-year elections, Trump stamped his foot:

    The room was “eerily silent” and “uncomfortable” Wednesday morning as President Trump cajoled Republican senators to end the filibuster, multiple attendees told Axios …

    Trump warned the party would “get killed” and be viewed as “do-nothing Republicans” if they don’t change Senate rules requiring 60 votes for most legislation.

    “If you don’t terminate the filibuster, you’ll be in bad shape,” the president told GOP senators during the televised portion of the breakfast remarks.

    He went even further after the press was instructed to leave.

    So much for the prior Republican self-assurance that if they just held their ground, Democrats would either cave or crawl to them for a face-saving deal that wouldn’t require real concessions. But as John Thune made clear after the “uncomfortable breakfast,” the Republican votes aren’t there to do what Trump wants. So it will require some very serious presidential arm-twisting (making Senate GOP lives “a living hell,” one Trump adviser warned) to bring them around.

    Meanwhile, as Punchbowl News reports, Democratic spines were stiffened by the same election returns that enraged Trump:

    Senate Democrats who want to keep up the fight are pointing to Tuesday’s election results as evidence that the public is with them — and that they shouldn’t cave now.

    Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said their victories should “give Democrats confidence that the American people have our back as we engage in the fight to protect people’s health care and save our democracy …”

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are leading 25 fellow Senate Democrats in a new letter to the Trump administration that slams the GOP for refusing to negotiate a deal to reopen the government that concretely addresses health care. It lists rising health care costs, including spiking Obamacare premiums, and says voters want Congress and the president to act.

    So what, or who, is going to give? Trump, most Democrats, and the more sensible Republicans all want the government to reopen. But it’s not happening unless Trump okays concessions he is in no mood to consider or, alternatively, unless Senate Republicans stop thinking ahead to a future in the minority and make Congress a totally party-run operation. It does not seem to have occurred to Trump that another authoritarian power grab might be as unpopular as the shutdown it would end. And it must really suck to be John Thune right now and bear the burden of talking either his president or his colleagues into abandoning their positions.


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    Ed Kilgore

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  • Senate rejects bills to pay federal workers during government shutdown

    WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday rejected dueling partisan bills to pay federal workers during the government shutdown, with both Republicans and Democrats deflecting blame as many employees are set to miss their first full paycheck at the end of this week.

    With unpaid staff and law enforcement standing nearby, Republicans objected as Democrats proposed a voice vote on their legislation to pay all federal workers and prevent President Donald Trump’s administration from mass firings. Democrats then blocked a Republican bill to pay employees who are working and not furloughed, 54-45.

    The back and forth on day 23 of the government shutdown comes as the two parties are at a protracted impasse with no signs of either side giving in. Democrats say they won’t vote to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say they won’t negotiate on the subsidies until Democrats vote to reopen the government. Trump is mostly disengaged and headed to Asia in the coming days.

    Dueling bills to pay workers

    The Republican bill by Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin would pay “excepted” workers who still have to come to work during the current government shutdown and any future shutdowns. The bill would “end this punishing federal workers for our dysfunction forever,” Johnson said.

    But Democrats say the legislation is unfair to the workers who are involuntarily furloughed and could give Cabinet secretaries too much discretion as to who gets paid.

    Johnson’s bill is “nothing more than another tool for Trump to hurt federal workers and American families and to keep this shutdown going for as long as he wants,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the votes.

    The Democratic bills would have paid a much larger swath of workers as most federal workers are set to miss paychecks over the next week.

    “It seems like everyone in this chamber agrees we should pay federal workers,” Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said ahead of the vote. But because of the shutdown, “they are paying a price.”

    Essential services start to dwindle

    As Congress is unable to agree on a way forward, money for essential services could soon reach a crisis point.

    Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday that his message to air traffic controllers during the government shutdown is “come to work, even if you do not get a paycheck.”

    Duffy said that air traffic controllers will miss their first full paycheck on Tuesday and that some are having to make choices to pay the mortgage and other bills, at times by taking a second job.

    “I cannot guarantee you your flight is going to be on time. I cannot guarantee your flight is not going to be cancelled,” Duffy said.

    Payments for federal food and heating assistance could also run out soon, along with funding for Head Start preschool programs, several states have warned.

    Open enrollment approaches

    Another deadline approaching is Nov. 1, the beginning of open enrollment for people who use the marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act.

    Democrats are holding out for negotiations with Republicans as they seek to extend subsidies that started in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and expire at the end of the year. But any solution would be hard to put in place once people start purchasing their plans.

    Some Republicans are open to extending the tax credits, with changes, and lawmakers in both parties have been talking behind the scenes about possible compromises. But it’s unclear whether they will be able to find an agreement that satisfies both Republicans and Democrats — or if leadership on either side would be willing to budge.

    “Republicans have been perfectly clear that we’re willing to have a discussion about health care, just not while government funding is being held hostage,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Thursday.

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

    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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  • The Republicans who denounce Trump nominee Ingrassia after leaked texts

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced Monday he hopes the White House withdraws Paul Ingrassia’s nomination to lead the Office of Special Counsel, following Politico’s reporting on racist and antisemitic text messages Ingrassia exchanged with Republican operatives.

    “He’s not gonna pass,” Thune told reporters.

    At least three other Senate Republicans have publicly declared opposition to the confirmation of Ingrassia, a nominee of President Donald Trump: Rick Scott of Florida, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and James Lankford of Oklahoma. Ingrassia remains scheduled to testify Thursday before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

    Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Monday for comment.

    Why It Matters

    The swift Republican defection represents a significant political rupture within GOP ranks over the Trump administration’s selection. Under Senate rules, Ingrassia, White House liaison to the Department of Homeland Security, can lose only three Republican votes before requiring Vice President JD Vance to cast a tiebreaker, assuming unanimous Democratic opposition.

    With four Republicans now signaling opposition or skepticism, the nomination could face mathematical elimination. GOP senators have already expressed concerns about his background, experience and alleged antisemitism, with one senator delaying Ingrassia’s nomination hearing in July, citing concerns of hostility toward Jews.

    “This big thing for our state is, he’s had some statements about antisemitism,” Scott said in a July interview with Politico about Ingrassia.

    The report about the text messages of Ingrassia, 30, also comes just one week after a number of Young Republicans were implicated in a scandal over racist, antisemitic and misogynistic comments in leaked chat messages.

    What To Know

    Politico reported Monday on a text chat that showed Ingrassia saying that the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell” and that he has “a Nazi streak.”

    Edward Andrew Paltzik, attorney for Ingrassia, did not confirm the texts were authentic and said they “could be manipulated or are being provided with material context omitted,” according to the report.

    Scott, Johnson and Lankford are all members of the Senate Homeland committee and will have a chance to question Ingrassia Thursday—if Ingrassia’s confirmation hearing proceeds as planned. The senators’ opposition comes amid broader concerns about Ingrassia’s background.

    Earlier this month, Politico separately reported that Ingrassia was investigated over a sexual harassment allegation involving a lower-ranking colleague. The peer filed a complaint against him before retracting it.

    A spokesperson for Republican U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, chair of the Senate Homeland panel, referred questions to the White House about what would come next for the nominee. But Paul told Semafor Monday evening that Ingrassia remained on the witness list and indicated the next move would be up to the White House.

    What People Are Saying

    Paltzik added: “Even if the texts are authentic, they clearly read as self-deprecating and satirical humor making fun of the fact that liberals outlandishly and routinely call MAGA supporters ‘Nazis.’ In reality, Mr. Ingrassia has incredible support from the Jewish community because Jews know that Mr. Ingrassia is the furthest thing from a Nazi.

    “In this age of AI, authentication of allegedly leaked messages, which could be outright falsehoods, doctored, or manipulated, or lacking critical context, is extremely difficult.”

    Scott, to reporters on Monday: “I’m not supporting him. I can’t imagine how anybody can be antisemitic in this country. It’s wrong.”

    Lankford, also to reporters on Monday: “I have tons of questions for him,” adding that he “can’t imagine supporting that.”

    Paul also told Semafor on Monday: “They have to decide if he can go through. I’ve told them to count the votes … the White House needs to make a decision. I’m leaving it up to them.”

    What Happens Next?

    Ingrassia’s Senate confirmation hearing is still scheduled for Thursday, where he will likely face intense questioning about the text messages and the allegations of antisemitism and sexual harassment.

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  • Government shutdown drags into third week as Senate set to reconvene



    Government shutdown drags into third week as Senate set to reconvene – CBS News










































    Watch CBS News



    The government shutdown entered its third week on Monday as the Senate is set to reconvene on Tuesday. CBS News’ Nikole Killion has more from Capitol Hill.

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  • FBI analyzed some Republican lawmakers’ phone records as part of Trump Jan. 6 probe, GOP senators say

    The FBI analyzed the phone records of more than a half dozen Republican lawmakers as part of an investigation into efforts by President Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, according to information released Monday by GOP senators. 

    The records, which the FBI analyzed in 2023, enabled investigators to see basic information about the date and time of phone calls but not the content of the communications, the senators said. The data encompassed several days during the week of Jan. 6, 2021, when pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to halt the certification of the election results. 

    A document dated Sept. 27, 2023, lists nine Republican lawmakers whose records were allegedly scrutinized: Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, as well as Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania. 

    The disclosure adds new detail to the since-shuttered investigation by the FBI and former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith into the steps Mr. Trump took in the run-up to the Capitol riot to undo his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Mr. Trump was indicted in August 2023 with conspiring to overturn the results, but the case was abandoned after Mr. Trump’s win the following year because of a Justice Department legal opinion that states sitting presidents cannot face federal prosecution. 

    The subpoena for the phone records was disclosed by several Republican senators, including Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who chairs the Judiciary Committee that oversees the FBI. Grassley said the Sept. 27, 2023, document memorializing the “preliminary toll analysis” was found in response to his request. The investigative step was authorized by a grand jury, the senators said.

    Grassley called it a “violation of personal property and people’s rights and the law and their constitutional rights.”

    The document suggests the analysis was conducted by an FBI special agent whose name was redacted, and it was authorized by two supervisory agents. It does not say how or why those lawmakers were identified or whether any meaningful tips or leads emerged from that investigative work.

    Some of the lawmakers were part of a group of Republicans who planned to challenge the results of the 2020 presidential election. After the voting was disrupted by the rioters on Jan. 6, 2021, most of the lawmakers named in the FBI document voted to certify the results, while Sen. Lummis and Rep. Kelly objected to at least one state.

    The special counsel’s investigation delved into phone calls between lawmakers and the president on the evening of Jan. 6, 2021, which Smith alleged were part of a last-ditch attempt to talk congressional Republicans into blocking the certification of Biden’s victory. The 2023 indictment against Mr. Trump lists several attempts by Mr. Trump and his alleged co-conspirators to reach senators and representatives by phone. It argued the president “attempted to exploit the violence and chaos at the Capitol by calling lawmakers to convince them, based on knowingly false claims of election fraud, to delay the certification.”

    Last year, a final report penned by Smith — which argued the president would have been convicted if not for his 2024 election win — also pointed to phone calls placed by Mr. Trump and members of his circle. It cited toll records from two unindicted co-conspirators who are unnamed but are widely believed to be Rudy Giuliani and one other person. 

    The senators said they would not be conducting their own investigation because they expected FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino — both Trump loyalists — to review the matter. Grassley suggested that more people at the FBI would be fired over the investigation, saying, “If heads don’t roll in this town, nothing changes.”

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on social media that he had “grave concerns” about the incident.

    “I fully support Senate committees getting to the bottom of this outrageous abuse of power and weaponization of the government,” said Thune, a South Dakota Republican.

    CBS News has reached out to theSenate Judicary Committee’s Democratic side and to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for comment.

    The Trump administration has taken aim at Smith’s investigation since returning to office. The Justice Department has fired staff members who worked for Smith, and a government body launched an investigation into Smith for allegedly engaging in illegal political activity while on the job — allegations Smith’s lawyers called “imaginary and unfounded.” 

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

    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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  • Government shutdown: Top Republican gives update on next Senate vote

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that the Senate will return Friday for another vote to reopen the government but cautioned that lawmakers are unlikely to hold additional votes over the weekend if the measure fails.

    “If that fails, then we’ll give them the weekend to think about it. We’ll come back and we’ll go again on Monday,” the South Dakota Republican told reporters.

    Thune said he welcomed bipartisan discussions among senators seeking a compromise but stressed that any solution must begin with reopening the government. Some lawmakers have floated a short-term funding bill tied to extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, but Thune voiced doubts about both ideas.

    He said Republicans would resist plans that fund the government for less than seven weeks and would oppose extending ACA credits without reforms to curb “waste, fraud and abuse.”

    This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow.

    This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.

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  • Trump to meet with congressional leaders ahead of shutdown deadline

    President Trump will meet with congressional leaders on Monday, just ahead of an Oct. 1 deadline for lawmakers to reach an agreement on a spending bill that would avert a government shutdown, multiple sources familiar with the plans told CBS News Saturday.  

    Mr. Trump will meet with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the sources said.

    Earlier this week, Mr. Trump said that he had canceled a meeting with Schumer and Jeffries, calling their “demands” for the spending bill “unserious and ridiculous.”

    In a joint statement Saturday, Schumer and Jeffries said that Mr. Trump had “once again agreed to a meeting in the Oval Office,” and adding that they were “resolute in our determination to avoid a government shutdown.”

    With the deadline fast approaching, Schumer called Thune on Friday and urged him to get Mr. Trump to meet, an aide to Schumer told CBS News. 

    Punchbowl was first to report the meeting.

    Lawmakers are facing a deadline of midnight Tuesday, when the 2026 fiscal year begins, to reach a deal on full-year spending bill, or a continuing resolution, which is a temporary stop-gap measure.

    Last week, a Republican-backed short-term funding bill passed the House, but failed in the Senate.

    Democrats have pushed for the bill to include a permanent extension of tax credits for Americans who are enrolled in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, as well as a roll back of Medicaid cuts that were in the recently passed “big, beautiful bill.” 

    If a shutdown were to take effect, it would impact what are considered non-essential government programs, and it would also likely halt the pay of hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

    In a move that appeared to raise the stakes for a deal, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget sent a memo to federal agencies Wednesday telling them to prepare layoff plans in the event of a shutdown.

    The memo, obtained by CBS News, told agencies to consider reduction-in-force notices — a federal term for layoffs — for employees in programs that receive discretionary funding that stops on Oct. 1, or that don’t have any alternative sources of funding.

    “Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown, and we must continue our planning efforts in the event Democrats decide to shut down the government,” the memo read.

    Democratic leaders blasted the memo, with Schumer calling it “an attempt at intimidation.”

    Aaron Navarro,

    Caitlin Yilek,

    Nikole Killion and

    Kaia Hubbard

    contributed to this report.

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  • Thune steams while Democrats do the country a favor by slowing Trump’s nominees

    U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, speaks at Dakotafest in Mitchell on Aug. 20, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight)

    U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune was hot under the collar. It wasn’t just because of the August weather, or the crowd at the Dakotafest agricultural trade show in Mitchell, or the pole barn where the crowd was jammed in. Thune was hot because of the way he’s being treated by Senate Democrats.

    Those pesky Democrats have thrown up as many roadblocks as they can to delay the filling of more than 1,300 positions in the Trump administration that require Senate confirmation. “We spend two-thirds of our time on personnel in the United States Senate,” Thune said, according to a Dakota Scout story, calling the resistance from the minority party “unprecedented.”

    In a recent op-ed, Thune promised that Senate Republicans are working on a rule change that should hurry the process along.

    Gone are the days of the Senate gentlemen’s club where the prevailing tradition was that a president should be allowed to have the nominees he wanted. Thune said 90% of President Barack Obama’s nominees were approved by unanimous consent, a fast way to approve nominees that skips committee hearings and floor debate. About 60% of President Joe Biden’s appointees were approved that way. In Trump’s first term, about half of his nominees were approved without hearings or debates.

    The downward trend in using unanimous consent is a direct result of the ideological split in this country. To date, none of Trump’s appointees during his second term have been approved by unanimous consent.

    The irony here is that Trump can’t get approval for the people he wants to serve in his administration while, during his first months in office, he’s been busy firing or furloughing thousands of federal government employees.

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has sworn to use every weapon in his arsenal to block the Trump agenda. It looks like that includes slowing the Senate confirmation process to a glacial pace.

    Senate Democrats may have acted more favorably toward Trump’s nominees if his Cabinet choices to be the leaders in his government weren’t so astoundingly unqualified. In Trump’s first term, he chose high-ranking officials as if casting a movie. They had to have the right look, but with the right look came a reasonable amount of competence. In Trump 2.0, the need for competence has been discarded. This time out, the prevailing quality to serve in the Trump administration is blind loyalty to the president.

    There’s no doubting that the likes of Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are loyal to Trump. Their competence at running the Pentagon, intelligence agencies and the nation’s health care are frequently and rightfully questioned. Life probably wouldn’t be so tough for Thune if he and his Senate Republican colleagues had shown some backbone and told the president that competence had to be the standard for Cabinet secretaries rather than just fawning loyalty to the president.

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    It’s easy to understand Thune’s frustration. However, he and Senate Republicans brought this on themselves by treating Trump’s Cabinet selections as if they were serious choices rather than a presidential power play to show that he could get anyone he wanted approved by the Senate.

    This space has been used before to note that Thune may come to regret, if he doesn’t already, his rise to the top Senate leadership post of his party during a Trump administration. As he complains about the long days he has to put in while fulfilling that role, he should remember that he won the office by claiming that Sen. Tom Daschle was paying too much attention to Senate leadership and not enough attention to South Dakota’s needs.

    Senate Democrats may be throwing up roadblocks to Trump’s agenda, but for Republicans this is a self-inflicted wound developed by currying favor with the president rather than doing their jobs. Despite Thune’s complaints, the slow pace of approval for Trump’s nominees is likely what’s best for the country. That’s particularly the case if the nominees Trump seeks to work in his government are anything like the clown car he calls a Cabinet.

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  • Government shutdown deadline only weeks away: What’s ahead? – WTOP News

    Congress only has a few weeks to avoid a government shutdown, but leaders of both parties are still a long way from agreeing on a stopgap spending bill to keep federal workers on the job.

    For all the latest developments in Congress, follow WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller at Today on the Hill.

    Congress only has a few weeks to avoid a government shutdown, but leaders of both parties are still a long way from agreeing on a stopgap spending bill to keep federal workers on the job.

    Lawmakers need to approve legislation by Sept. 30, when a current funding measure runs out, ahead of the start of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1.

    One of the few things that Republicans and Democrats do agree upon is that they will need to pass a continuing resolution, since there is not enough time to approve all 12 appropriation bills.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune has pointed out that the Senate managed to pass three major appropriations bills before the August recess.

    That’s a departure over the past seven years, when not a single appropriations bill was approved during the summer months by the upper chamber.

    Still, Thune acknowledged, “There’s a lot more to do.”

    Lawmakers in the House and Senate didn’t give themselves much time to work on a short-term spending bill, since they only returned from their summer break last week.

    Leaders prepare for shutdown blame game

    Leaders of both parties are already laying the political groundwork for assigning blame if they can’t reach an agreement before the shutdown deadline.

    “The only way to avoid a shutdown on Sept. 30 is to work in a bipartisan way,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said recently on the Senate floor. “But Republicans are once again threatening to go at it alone, which will lead our country straight into a shutdown — a Republican-caused shutdown.”

    Schumer said a shutdown can be avoided if there are negotiations on a bipartisan bill.

    But Thune, in turn, has warned Democrats about making what the GOP sees as unreasonable demands.

    “I hope … our Democrat colleagues will resist the calls from within for a shutdown and work with us to fund the government,” Thune said.

    Many Democrats criticized Schumer earlier this year, arguing that he caved to President Donald Trump and Republicans, without taking a firm stand, before Democratic lawmakers voted for a continuing resolution that avoided a shutdown.

    Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic leaders have been meeting regularly to make sure they are on the same page with their strategy for addressing any type of showdown.

    What if a shutdown takes place?

    If lawmakers are unable to beat the deadline, a partial government shutdown will begin Wednesday, Oct. 1.

    A shutdown would not halt federal law enforcement operations, which have ramped up during the surge against crime in D.C.

    Federal workers considered nonessential would likely be furloughed, so they would not work and not get paid.

    But under legislation that was sponsored by Virginia’s U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine and passed in 2019, federal workers would receive back pay for any lost wages during the shutdown.

    While Kaine and Virginia U.S. Sen. Mark Warner have proposed legislation to secure pay for federal contract workers during a shutdown, that has not been passed by Congress.

    Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits would still be processed.

    Most shutdowns over the years have lasted only a few days, before Congress acted.

    But during Trump’s first term, a partial government shutdown lasted for nearly 35 days, which was the longest shutdown in the country’s history.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mitchell Miller

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  • Republicans move quickly to support Ashley Hinson’s Senate bid

    Republicans are quickly falling in line behind Ashley Hinson, the Iowa representative running to replace Sen. Joni Ernst in the red-leaning state.

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune and National Republican Senatorial Committee Chair Tim Scott on Friday endorsed Hinson, who announced her campaign earlier this week.

    “Having traveled Iowa with Ashley, I know she is the fighter the Hawkeye State needs to deliver President [Donald] Trump’s agenda in 2026 and beyond,” Scott (R-S.C.) said in a statement. “Iowans are all-in for Ashley Hinson, and that’s why the NRSC and I are proud to stand with my friend, a proven conservative and staunch Trump ally.”

    Though Iowa is not one of the top pickup opportunities for Democrats this year, the party hopes it could be in play as Democrats need to net four seats to flip the Senate. Avoiding a competitive GOP primary could help stave off the opportunity for a Democratic pickup.

    In addition to Thune and Scott, Senate Leadership Fund — the super PAC linked to GOP leadership — also said it would be backing Hinson.

    Trump has yet to weigh in on the race, even as Hinson and other Senate Republicans look to closely tie the Iowa hopeful to the president.

    Hinson hopped in the race the same day Ernst, who served two terms in the Senate, announced she would retire. Hinson has been viewed as a potential Ernst successor, who despite indicating last year she would run for reelection has faced several setbacks in recent months.

    The former TV news anchor is a strong fundraiser and seen as a rising star in the party. She reported $2.8 million in her campaign coffers earlier in the year.

    “We need conservative fighters in the Senate — and that’s exactly what we’ll get with Ashley Hinson,” Thune said in a statement. “Ashley has been a fierce advocate of President Trump’s America First agenda and has been instrumental in delivering big wins in the House for Iowans and the American people.”

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  • New GOP anti-crime bills in Congress will focus on DC – WTOP News

    President Donald Trump wants Republican congressional leaders to develop a comprehensive crime bill to tackle public safety issues in D.C. and other cities.

    For all the latest developments in Congress, follow WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller at Today on the Hill.

    President Donald Trump wants Republican congressional leaders to develop a comprehensive crime bill to tackle public safety issues in D.C. and other cities, once they return next week from their summer break.

    The president said this week that he had discussed anti-crime measures with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

    Johnson said Friday that crime legislation taking shape will focus on D.C., where close to 2,000 National Guard troops remain posted throughout the city, as part of the federal law enforcement surge.

    “We’ve got to end the crime wave, we’ve got to clean up the city and we’ve got to make sure that it shines as it should,” Johnson said in an interview on CNN.

    While the president has suggested a major crime bill, it appears GOP lawmakers will begin by taking up various bills covering issues in D.C.

    Johnson and Republicans have indicated they will take up reforms to address juvenile crime in the District, as well as getting rid of cashless bail.

    Cashless bail allows those accused of crimes to remain free pending their trial, without posting bond.

    Bowser to testify before House panel

    The House Oversight Committee has set a Sept. 18 hearing during which D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Council Chair Phil Mendelson and Attorney General Brian Schwalb are scheduled to testify.

    They are expected to be grilled about the District’s efforts to bring down crime and how they have worked with federal law enforcement.

    The hearing will take place after a 30-day deadline expires for extending the federal surge. Congress needs to vote on approving extension of the deadline by Sept. 10.

    The president has indicated he wants his declared crime emergency to continue. The White House has pointed to a major drop in crime since the surge began, including a 30% drop in violent crime.

    Bowser has said she appreciates the federal support and credits it for helping to continue falling crime rates. But she has questioned the need for the National Guard presence and masked agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement making arrests.

    Speaker Johnson questioned about crime in his state

    During his appearance on CNN, Johnson was asked about crime in his Louisiana congressional district. Figures indicated that violent crime per capita in Shreveport was higher last year than in D.C.

    Part of Shreveport is in Johnson’s 4th District and he was asked whether the president should send the National Guard there.

    Johnson acknowledged crime has been a problem in the city but declined to say whether he thought the president should send federal troops there.

    “That’s not my call,” he said.

    Pressed further, he added, “I don’t know, let’s take one city at a time and see.”

    The administration has indicated that if federal troops are activated and sent to another city, it would likely be Chicago. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has said there is no need to send in the National Guard, which he could activate himself.

    In D.C., the president has the power to activate the National Guard. The mayor does not have that power.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mitchell Miller

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  • Trump says he is working with Republicans on ‘comprehensive crime bill’

    (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is working with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, both Republicans, on a “comprehensive crime bill.”

    “Speaker Mike Johnson, and Leader John Thune, are working with me, and other Republicans, on a Comprehensive Crime Bill. It’s what our Country needs,” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

    Citing a purported wave of lawlessness, Trump seized control this month of the police force in Washington, D.C., and is allowing National Guard troops to carry weapons while on patrol in the city. He has threatened to expand the U.S. military presence to Democrat-controlled cities like Baltimore and Chicago.

    Trump said earlier this week that the U.S. military might deploy to Chicago and is ready to go anywhere on short notice to crack down on crime.

    Trump also ordered the Department of Defense to ensure that every state has some National Guard troops who are ready to rapidly mobilize to help quell civil disturbances and assist in public safety.

    (Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Stephen Coates)

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  • House Republicans send Mayorkas impeachment articles to the Senate, forcing a trial

    House Republicans send Mayorkas impeachment articles to the Senate, forcing a trial

    WASHINGTON – House impeachment managers walked two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas across the Capitol to the Senate on Tuesday, forcing senators to convene a trial on the allegations that he has “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce immigration laws.

    While the Senate is obligated to hold a trial under the rules of impeachment once the charges are walked across the Capitol, the proceedings may not last long. Democrats are expected to try to dismiss or table the charges later this week before the full arguments get underway.

    After walking the articles to the Senate, the Republican prosecutors appointed by House Speaker Mike Johnson stood in the well of the Senate. The Senate sergeant-at-arms, the chamber’s top security official, called the session to order with a “hear ye! hear ye!” and a notice that “all persons are commanded to keep silence, on pain of imprisonment.”

    The House Homeland Security Committee chairman, Mark Green, a Tennessee Republican who is one of the impeachment managers, read the articles aloud as most senators sat in their seats, following along with their own paper copies.

    Republicans have argued there should be a full trial. As Johnson signed the articles Monday in preparation for sending them across the Capitol, he said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer should convene a trial to “hold those who engineered this crisis to full account.”

    Schumer “is the only impediment to delivering accountability for the American people,” Johnson said. “Pursuant to the Constitution, the House demands a trial.”

    After Tuesday’s ceremonial procession and presentation of the articles, the proceedings will not begin until Wednesday. Senators will be sworn in as jurors, turning the chamber into the court of impeachment. The Senate will then issue a summons to Mayorkas to inform him of the charges and ask for a written answer. He will not have to appear.

    The entire process could be done within hours on Wednesday. Majority Democrats have said the GOP case against Mayorkas doesn’t rise to the “high crimes and misdemeanors” laid out as a bar for impeachment in the Constitution, and Schumer probably has enough votes to end the trial immediately if he decides to do so.

    Schumer has said he wants to “address this issue as expeditiously as possible.”

    “Impeachment should never be used to settle a policy disagreement,” Schumer said. “That would set a horrible precedent for the Congress.”

    The House narrowly voted in February to impeach Mayorkas for his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. House Republicans charged in two articles of impeachment that Mayorkas has not only refused to enforce existing law but also breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure. It was the first time in nearly 150 years a Cabinet secretary was impeached.

    Since then, Johnson has delayed sending the articles to the Senate for weeks while both chambers finished work on government funding legislation and took a two-week recess. Johnson had said he would send them to the Senate last week, but he punted again after Senate Republicans said they wanted more time to prepare.

    South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, has said the Senate needs to hold a full trial at which it can examine the evidence against Mayorkas and come to a conclusion.

    “This is an absolute debacle at the southern border,” Thune said. “It is a national security crisis. There needs to be accountability.”

    House impeachment managers previewed some of their arguments at a hearing with Mayorkas on Tuesday morning on President Joe Biden’s budget request for the department.

    Green, the chairman of the House Homeland Security panel, told the secretary that he has a duty under the law to control and guard U.S. borders, and “during your three years as secretary, you have failed to fulfill this oath. You have refused to comply with the laws passed by Congress, and you have breached the public trust.”

    Mayorkas defended the department’s efforts but said the nation’s immigration system is “fundamentally broken, and only Congress can fix it.”

    Other impeachment managers are Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ben Cline of Virginia, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Laurel Lee of Florida, August Plfuger of Texas and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

    Exactly how Democrats will proceed on Wednesday is still unclear. Impeachment rules generally allow the Senate majority to decide how to manage the trial, and Schumer has not said exactly what he will do.

    After the jurors are sworn in, Senate Republicans are likely to try to raise a series of objections if Schumer calls a vote to dismiss or table, an effort to both protest and delay the move. But ultimately they cannot block a dismissal if majority Democrats have the votes.

    Some Republicans have said they would like time to debate whether Mayorkas should be impeached, even though debate time is usually not included in impeachment proceedings. Negotiations were underway between the two parties over whether Schumer may allow that time and give senators in both parties a chance to discuss the impeachment before it is dismissed.

    While most Republicans oppose quick dismissal, some have hinted they could vote with Democrats.

    Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said last week he wasn’t sure what he would do if there were a move to dismiss the trial. “I think it’s virtually certain that there will not be the conviction of someone when the constitutional test has not been met,” he said.

    At the same time, Romney said he wants to at least express his view that “Mayorkas has done a terrible job, but he’s following the direction of the president and has not met the constitutional test of a high crime or misdemeanor.”

    In any case, Republicans would not be able to win the support of the two-thirds of the Senate that is needed to convict and remove Mayorkas from office. Democrats control the Senate, 51-49, and they appear to be united against the impeachment effort. Not one House Democrat supported it, either.

    Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who is facing a tough reelection bid in Ohio, called the impeachment trial a “distraction,” arguing that Republicans should instead support a bipartisan border compromise they scuttled earlier this year.

    “Instead of doing this impeachment — the first one in 100 years — why are we not doing a bipartisan border deal?” he said.

    If Democrats are unable to dismiss or table the articles, they could follow the precedent of several impeachment trials for federal judges over the last century and hold a vote to create a trial committee that would investigate the charges. While there is sufficient precedent for this approach, Democrats may prefer to end the process completely, especially in a presidential election year when immigration and border security are top issues.

    If the Senate were to proceed to an impeachment trial, it would be the third in five years. Democrats impeached President Donald Trump twice, once over his dealings with Ukraine and a second time in the days after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Trump was acquitted by the Senate both times.

    At a trial, senators would be forced to sit in their seats for the duration, maybe weeks, while the House impeachment managers and lawyers representing Mayorkas make their cases. The Senate is allowed to call witnesses, as well, if it so decides, and it can ask questions of both sides after the opening arguments are finished.

    ___

    Associated Press writer Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.

    Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

    Mary Clare Jalonick And Stephen Groves, Associated Press

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  • John Thune Fast Facts | CNN Politics

    John Thune Fast Facts | CNN Politics

    Here’s a look at the life of John Thune, Republican senator and Senate minority whip from South Dakota.

    Birth date: January 7, 1961

    Birth place: Pierre, South Dakota

    Birth name: John Randolph Thune

    Father: Harold Thune, schoolteacher

    Mother: Yvonne “Pat” (Bodine) Thune, librarian

    Marriage: Kimberley (Weems) Thune (1984-present)

    Children: Larissa and Brittany

    Education: Biola University, B.S. in Business Administration, 1983; University of South Dakota, M.B.A., 1984

    Religion: Protestant

    1985-1987 – Legislative assistant for US Senator James Abdnor (R-South Dakota).

    1987-1989 – Special assistant for the US Small Business Administration.

    1989-1991 – Returns to South Dakota and serves as executive director for the South Dakota Republican Party.

    1991-1993 – Appointed South Dakota state railroad director by South Dakota Governor George S. Mickelson.

    1993-1996 – Executive Director of South Dakota Municipal League.

    1996 – Elected to the US House of Representatives.

    1997-2003 – Serves three terms in the US House of Representatives for South Dakota.

    2002 – Runs for Senate against incumbent Democrat Tim Johnson, but loses narrowly.

    2003-2004 – Works as lobbyist and consultant in Washington, DC.

    January 2004 – Announces he will challenge Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) in the upcoming Senate race.

    November 2004 – Wins Senate seat for South Dakota, defeating Daschle.

    January 5, 2005 – Starts his term as US Senator for South Dakota.

    June 2009-January 2012 – Senate Republican Policy Committee chairman.

    November 2010 – Runs unopposed and wins reelection to the Senate.

    February 22, 2011 – Announces that he will not seek the Republican presidential nomination for 2012.

    December 13, 2011 – Elected Senate Republican Conference chairman and assumes the position on January 26, 2012.

    November 13, 2014 – Reelected chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.

    November 8, 2016 – Wins reelection to the US Senate.

    November 14, 2018 – Elected Senate Republican Whip.

    November 8, 2022 – Wins reelection to the US Senate.

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  • ‘Slow day:’ Guard emails don’t match Noem border ‘war’ talk

    ‘Slow day:’ Guard emails don’t match Noem border ‘war’ talk

    SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem described the U.S. border with Mexico as a “war zone” last year when she sent dozens of state National Guard troops there, saying they’d be on the front lines of stopping drug smugglers and human traffickers.

    But records from the Guard show that in their two-month deployment, the South Dakota troops didn’t seize any drugs. On a handful of occasions, they suspected people of scouting for lapses in their patrols, but mission logs don’t contain any confirmed encounters with “transnational criminals.” And a presentation from the deployment noted that Mexican cartels were assessed to be a “moderate threat” but were “unlikely” to target U.S. forces.

    Some days, the records show, the troops had little if anything to do.

    “Very slow day. No encounters. It has been 5 days since last surrender,” wrote one Guard member whose name was redacted from a situation report created as the deployment neared its end in September 2021.

    For Noem, who is up for reelection Tuesday amid speculation she could be a 2024 White House contender, the deployment was an eye-catching jump into a political fight more than 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) from her state. Noem justified the deployment — and a widely criticized private donation to fund it — as a state emergency. Dangerous drugs, she said, made their way to South Dakota after coming over the southern border.

    But the documents obtained by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington through an open records request cast doubt on whether the deployment was effective at stopping drug trafficking, even as Noem claimed that Guard members “directly assisted” in stopping it.

    Most drugs don’t come through unwatched expanses of the border or the Rio Grande where the Guard members were stationed, said Victor Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol senior officer who is now a professor of criminal justice at the University of Texas at El Paso. They are smuggled into the United States at established border checkpoints, he said.

    South Dakota Guard members were stationed at observation posts where they parked Humvees or other military vehicles alongside the Rio Grande. They watched for groups of migrants to report to Border Control, which would then take them into custody. On several occasions, they reported groups of hundreds of people migrating, and at one point, a Guard member performed CPR on a child who had drowned.

    During the two-month deployment, the Guard logged 204 people who were turned back to Mexico and 5,000 others who were apprehended by the Border Patrol to evaluate for asylum claims. Those apprehensions were a small fraction of the over 162,000 encounters Border Patrol reported during July and August in the Rio Grande Valley Sector — the 34,000-square-mile swathe where the Guard was stationed.

    “Like any operation there are going to be busy days and some slow days, that is expected in all operations,” Marshall Michels, a spokesman for the South Dakota Department of the Military, said in an email response to questions on the records from AP.

    Noem last year joined with seven other Republican governors to harden the border through Texas’s Operation Lone Star. The state-backed mission sought to discourage migrants by making arrests under Texas laws.

    The mission gave Republicans occasion to deride President Joe Biden’s border policies, but the operation has not curbed the number of people crossing the border. It has also faced criticism for being a rushed mission that gave members little to do while potentially running afoul of federal law.

    Noem’s decision to send 48 Guard members was met with particularly harsh criticism because she covered most of its cost with a $1 million donation from a Tennessee billionaire who has often donated to Republicans. Top brass from the National Guard Bureau and an aide to South Dakota U.S. Sen. John Thune, a fellow Republican, questioned what legal authority the state had to accept a donation to fund the deployment, the recently released emails show.

    CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) sued the South Dakota Guard and the U.S. Army after they refused a Freedom of Information Act request for records on the deployment and communication between the National Guard, the governor’s office and the Department of Defense. Under that legal pressure, the agencies turned over the documents, which CREW shared with The Associated Press.

    Noah Bookbinder, CREW’s president, said they wanted to bring transparency to a donation that he called “a particularly craven example of how money can drive not just politics but how governments operate and how military forces can be used.”

    Congress later banned such private donations for Guard deployments.

    Noem’s administration has insisted that the National Guard, with its military training, was best-suited to tackle what she called “a national security crisis.”

    “It literally is a war zone,” she told reporters this July.

    Noem’s office referred questions on the deployment to a statement last year when she called Biden’s border policy an “utter disaster” that facilitated illegal border crossings and said that Mexican cartels were using the surge in migrants as a “distraction for their criminal activities.”

    “The scope of the drug smuggling and human trafficking taking place has been made clear to us, and it is staggering,” she said.

    During the two-month deployment, Guard members reported spotting 11 people they deemed to be scouting for lapses in surveillance. On another occasion recorded in the logs, Guard members pointed flashlights at five people with backpacks crossing the Rio Grande who then retreated. Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Marlette, the head of South Dakota’s Guard, later told a South Dakota legislative committee they were likely carrying drugs.

    Those were the only times the Guard members reported suspected drug trafficking. The South Dakota National Guard said it accomplished its mission by supporting Texas’s Operation Lone Star and referred questions on its success to the Texas National Guard.

    Texas’s 17-month operation has recorded 21,000 criminal arrests with most of those resulting in felony charges, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office recently reported. The Texas National Guard also said it has been responsible for 470,000 migrant detections, apprehensions and turnbacks, as well as the construction of 114 miles of fencing and barriers.

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