For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link] We responded to over 150,000 incidents in 2023-24 The incidents displayed below are note-worthy incidents that have been published as media releases or tweets Details about incidents may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice North Parramatta | The fire at Dunlop Street, North Parramatta has been contained but is expected to smoulder through the morning. Because there may be smoke in the area, residents and businesses in the vicinity are advised to keep doors, windows, and vents closed. View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders This is probably not the page you’re looking for Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Sydney without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Sydney A trip to UTURN Punchbowl is unlike any other op shopping experience You’re welcomed by rows of racks as far as the eye can see you’ll also find miscellaneous homewares and ‘pay $10 per kilo’ bins.  The ideal op-shop stop for gender-neutral and menswear styles UTURN has a huge variety of options for all folk We have managed to find Uniqlo Flared Jeans for $10 Their ‘pay per kilo’ bins are the perfect option for thrifty op shoppers who have an eye for potential repair and get creative with their looks.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestAbout us Contact us CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) The House Financial Services Committee is attempting to advance its portion of the reconciliation package this morning Democrats have prepared around 40 amendments for the markup scheduled to start at 10 a.m. according to a person familiar with the plans we’ve gotten through just a handful of amendments Chair French Hill (R-Ark.) intends to finish this markup in one day The DoorDash effect: $107B in economic impact In 2024, DoorDash powered $107B in economic activity through sales for local businesses, from restaurants to grocers to florists. Dashers earned $16.7B, delivering 4 hours per week on average. Local delivery drives real economic impact. Explore the report. Our view on presidential budgets is that no matter who is in the White House These are political documents that end up being used as cudgels against the president’s own party Yet with Republicans controlling all of Washington President Donald Trump’s FY2026 spending blueprint matters The spending levels and programmatic priorities will help shape how Republican appropriators craft government funding bills ahead of the Sept The Senate took its first public step toward potentially overhauling the U.S though it’s clear the Capitol has a long way to go before any changes can take shape The Senate Banking Committee held a hearing this morning examining the rising costs of insurance – home And unlike a lot of hearings we watch in the financial services there’s a broad consensus that costs in insurance markets aren’t sustainable Mike Waltz is out as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser The former Republican was done in by the Signalgate scandal although White House officials were insisting as recently as Wednesday that Waltz was fine Alex Wong, Waltz’s deputy, was also fired, per CBS News. Waltz — a former Army Special Forces officer — gave up a very safe House seat to join Trump’s administration in January But Signalgate — when Waltz mistakenly added the Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg to a Signal group chat that included top administration officials — damaged him severely Johnson’s $32 million quarter. And what is the Trump W.H. saying on tariffs? Reconciliation markup schedule takes shape Some Q1 fundraising highlights The Ones to Watch: Advancing with AI Congress is out this week. President Donald Trump is in Washington. He’s expected to meet with the President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Vice President JD Vance will be in Italy Friday to meet with Meloni We have Speaker Mike Johnson’s first quarter fundraising numbers And we have some reconciliation news for you below Johnson raised $32.2 million during the first quarter The Louisiana Republican’s team says this is his largest quarterly fundraising total ever Johnson transferred $5 million to the NRCC in the first quarter Johnson will campaign in 10 cities in Texas Indiana and Louisiana ahead of the Easter holiday House Republicans’ financial position has been the subject of intense discussion on Capitol Hill The NRCC reported having just under $15 million in the bank at the end of February with $11.2 million in debt The committee raised $9.2 million in February The NRCC will file its March report in roughly a week had $26 million in the bank and raised more than $11 million during February House Republicans are apt to say that money doesn’t mean everything yet Republicans were able to keep their House majority in 2024 Trump helped raise $35 million last week at an NRCC dinner a number senior Republicans touted as being far larger than the last time the president appeared at a dinner for the House GOP Super PACs have also supplanted the national party committees in a lot of ways as well although those funds are far more unpredictable What to watch this week – world markets and Trump Trump now has two weeks with Congress gone He’s been able to exploit congressional absences so far in his return to the White House Yet it’s fair to say that Trump’s handling of his trade war has been nothing short of chaotic. While Trump campaigned on remaking U.S. trade policy, no one in Washington was prepared for the speed, scale and sheer unpredictability of his moves so far. It’s rattled the party and country, while Trump’s poll numbers on the economy have slumped. It’s difficult to get a straight answer from senior administration officials on anything related to trade policy or tariffs either in public comments or private guidance This is maddening for House and Senate Republicans who reflexively back the White House only to have the rug pulled out from under them over and over again No. 1: The Trump administration has exempted electronics and smartphones from its newest tariffs on China, a massive carveout that will help settle some nerves on Capitol Hill, Wall Street and in Cupertino, Calif. at Apple’s headquarters. Trump criticized media coverage of the exemptions as “fake news.” But then Trump told reporters on Sunday night as he returned from a Mar-a-Lago weekend that “we have to talk to the companies.” during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had insisted that the exemptions are temporary “What [Trump is] doing is he’s saying they’re exempt from the reciprocal tariffs but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs which are coming in probably a month or two,” Lutnick said “We can’t be beholden and rely upon foreign countries for fundamental things that we need So this is not like a permanent sort of exemption.” 2: The White House and Trump said that the administration would be levying tariffs on pharmaceutical products soon This would have a huge impact on millions of Americans USTR Jamieson Greer said the Trump administration must conduct an “investigation” before levying such tariffs CBS’s Margaret Brennan asked Greer if the administration has already “decided the outcome” of the investigation they don’t have a tariff covered right now because you have to go through the investigation to determine the outcome.” It’s daily whiplash from the Trump administration as markets continue to seesaw “We have a country that is much richer than it was a few months ago,” Trump said “We have a financial system that’s very respected.” Egg McMuffin®: Freshly cracked eggs from cage-free chickens quality ingredients used in kitchens all across America Behind every bite of an Egg McMuffin® across the U.S Learn more. News: House Republicans are set to begin marking up their reconciliation package as soon as Congress returns from the two-week recess according to sources involved with the planning The House committees expected to be among the first to mark up include the Judiciary These markups will likely begin the week of April 28 Other committees may also mark up that week Homeland Security and Armed Services panels are responsible for new spending on border security and defense that Republicans are planning in the reconciliation package This should be an easier lift compared to House panels tasked with crafting a hugely complex tax-cut package or slashing federal spending by hundreds of billions of dollars Here are the maximums the budget resolution directs each of these committees to spend: The Senate Armed Services Committee has instructions to spend up to $150 billion and defense hawks have been pressing for the higher sum The entire House committee markup schedule has been thrown into flux since the passage of the House-Senate budget resolution last week House and Senate committees have vastly different instructions for their committees GOP leadership was still reworking the cadence of markups for the 11 House committees instructed under the resolution Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership team is committed to marking up its reconciliation package first Remember: tax bills have to start in the House Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune are intent on finishing the package before Memorial Day Johnson again expressed his dismay with raising the top tax rate for wealthy Americans something that the Trump administration keeps privately pushing Appearing on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” with Maria Bartiromo Johnson said he is “not a big fan” of trying to hike the rate for top earners keeping himself firmly in line with traditional Republican Party orthodoxy on taxes trying to tamp down this talk since there’s no way House Republicans would go for it: “We’re the Republican Party and we’re for tax reduction for everyone That’s a general principle that we always try to abide by People have different thoughts and theories on how we can solve this perfect equation … to get all of this done But I wouldn’t put any money on any of that yet The next five to six weeks are going to be critical as all of these negotiations happen in the committees of jurisdiction.” House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) addressed this recently too telling reporters that a tax increase for top earners hasn’t been discussed in any meetings he’s been in Arrington sits on the Ways and Means Committee in addition to wielding the Budget gavel “I think the offsets are more for… special interest tax breaks or loopholes,” Arrington said I think the focus of savings is on the spending reduction side.” The Daily Punch brings you inside Capitol Hill Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) raised $1 million in the first quarter and has roughly $1 million cash on hand Dave Min (D-Calif.) raised $752,000 in the first quarter and has $716,000 on hand – Rep. Pete Stauber’s (R-Minn.) victory committee brought in $62,000 from two donors, including $50,000 from John Miner of Miner’s Inc. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) raised $72,000 into her victory committee Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) raised $256,444 in the first quarter and has $987,231 in the bank And VoteVets is endorsing Democrat Maura Sullivan for New Hampshire’s 1st District The seat is currently held by Democratic Rep who recently announced his intentions to run for Senate We spent the last several weeks exploring how artificial intelligence is boosting different sectors and regions of the U.S The four-part series, The Ones to Watch: Advancing with AI, included interviews with key public officials who are paying attention to the new technology and exploring ways to encourage innovation while creating a suitable regulatory framework Follow the links below to read the different segments on: Energy innovation with Virginia GOP Gov Cybersecurity with Rep The workforce with Rep Economic investment with Rep Ballard Partners has signed ​Balkan Energy SHA and will provide “[a]ssistance and guidance breaking into foreign energy markets.” Amgen, the biotech giant, has signed with Capitol 6 Advisors to lobby on the Labor-HHS appropriations bill a former House Appropriations Committee staffer The Washington Commanders spent $60,000 with Dentons to monitor “issues related to economic development and federal transportation funding.” Coca-Cola paid Ervin Graves Strategy Group $50,000 to make “general Introductions and relationship building with Members of Congress; Monitoring relevant legislative activity and advise client on matters.” The City of Cleveland paid Holland & Knight $50,000 to lobby on WRDA Smithfield Foods paid Holland & Knight $270,000 to lobby on a host of agriculture-related items The Michigan Farm Bureau spent $220,000 to lobby on issues related to immigration and other matters President Donald Trump will greet Nayib Bukele Trump and Bukele will meet in the Oval Office Trump and Bukele will participate in a lunch in the Cabinet Room Trump will host members of the Ohio State University football team on the South Lawn to celebrate their 2025 College Football National Championship win “Trump’s Tariffs Leave No Safe Harbor for American Importers” “U.S. Renews Opposition to Bringing Back Maryland Man Wrongly Deported to El Salvador” “No evidence linking Tufts student to antisemitism or terrorism, State Dept. office found” “Xi Seeks to Win Over Allies as Trump Pauses Some Tariffs” “Trump Administration Retreats From White-Collar Criminal Enforcement” “Trump Official Who Oversaw Closure of USAID Has Left State Department” “Suspect arrested in arson fire that forced Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, family to flee residence” McDonald’s Classic Burgers: 100% pure beef McDonald’s kitchens prepare and serve your meal to the highest standards using real Behind every bite of a classic McDonald’s burger in the U.S made with no artificial preservatives or flavors Learn more. And what senior aides and downtown figures believe will happen in 2023 President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Pittsburgh this afternoon after they meet with aides involved in the effort to free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza the political environment has continued to improve for Harris and the Democrats although the presidential race remains extraordinarily close in the battleground states House Republicans are worried about keeping their tenuous majority, and Democrats continue to outraise the GOP. Our friends at the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter have their House rankings here, which shows a competitive landscape in the fight for control of the chamber Senate Republicans remain in a very strong position to grab the majority yet the outlook is brighter for Democrats in Arizona and Nevada especially New: Speaker Mike Johnson is heading to Italy this week for his first trip abroad as speaker Johnson will be participating in a G7 meeting for heads of parliaments News on government funding: It’s that time of year again Congress traditionally passes a short-term funding bill to get past Election Day But that doesn’t mean the month will be devoid of drama the contours of this legislative battle is quite clear: Johnson has to stick to the funding levels agreed to under last year’s Fiscal Responsibility Act This includes the side deals hammered out by Biden and then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy haven’t done this in any of their proposed FY2025 funding bills This is a red line for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, as he told us during an interview at the DNC in Chicago last month Here’s the news: Johnson and the GOP leadership are discussing a plan to move a CR next week when the House returns that would extend government funding into March 2025 with the SAVE Act attached to it The SAVE Act requires proof of citizenship in order to register to vote in a federal election It’s already illegal for undocumented immigrants to cast a ballot in federal elections The speaker is getting pressure from hardline conservatives and former President Donald Trump to attach the SAVE Act to the CR even if it threatens a shutdown Conservatives also want a CR until next year in hopes that Trump will be back in office We’ll note that this is the speaker’s opening salvo Johnson is running this play early – the week of Sept 9 – to try to give himself time to make the case that he moved a CR and the onus should be on the Senate to accept it it’ll be difficult for Johnson to get 218 votes for this proposal There are a lot of House Republicans who just won’t vote for any CR The hope in the GOP leadership is that Johnson will gain Republican votes by inserting the SAVE Act But moderate Republicans and those in swing districts have little to gain here by threatening a shutdown just five weeks before Election Day The Senate won’t go for it – including some Republicans – and the White House will say no House Republicans are trying to make September about unifying GOP lawmakers and dividing Democrats the House Republican leadership is quietly planning a week focused on curbing what they see as an existential threat from China This themed week has been discussed inside the Republican leadership for some time But it’s now September and there’s not much political safe ground for the four-seat GOP majority other than rapping on geopolitical enemies the House Republican leadership has told committees of jurisdiction that it is teeing up a number of bills for possible consideration Here’s the list of bills that the House is expected to consider under a rule: – The End Chinese Dominance of Electric Vehicles in America Act of 2024. This bill, which was written by Rep bars individuals who have electric cars with batteries made from “prohibited foreign entities” from getting clean vehicle tax credits – Rep. Dan Newhouse’s (R-Wash.) Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act. Newhouse who faces a very tough challenge in November The legislation makes it more difficult for foreign nationals to buy American farmland – Rep. Tom Tiffany’s (R-Wis.) No WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act. This doesn’t expressly deal with China but makes any World Health Assembly agreement on pandemics subject to a Senate vote This has long been a talking point in conservative circles – DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act by Rep This legislation bars DHS from giving funding to a university that receives funding from the Chinese government – The Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act of 2024 by Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas). This legislation reestablishes a China-focused division in the Justice Department Twenty-one other bills are lined up to be considered under suspension of the rules, meaning they’ll need a two-thirds vote to pass. Here’s the list with the link to each bill. - Jake Sherman, John Bresnahan Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration sees a long-term role for tariff revenue in U.S and he backed President Donald Trump’s assertion over the weekend that the levies could help pay for tax cuts Bessent joined today’s White House briefing to talk about the economy We asked a few questions about tariffs and the U.S whether the Trump administration’s main objective was bolstering tariff revenue or reaching new trade deals which would theoretically lower that revenue House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called on President Donald Trump to fire Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth after it was reported that National Security Adviser Michael Waltz is being forced out Jeffries called Trump’s choice of aides “the most incompetent administration ever assembled,” particularly when it comes to defense and national security Jeffries added that Hegseth is “the most unqualified” defense secretary in U.S News: We got our hands on the House Republican leadership’s schedule for May the big news: House Republicans plan to have their reconciliation package on the floor the week of May 19 This isn’t entirely surprising as it’s the last week the House is in session before the Memorial Day recess No one believed Memorial Day was a real deadline We’ll see if they can get this on the floor by the week of May 19 Also: The working title of the GOP reconciliation package is the “Renewing the American Dream Act.” We’ll see if this title – RADA or something like that – passes muster with the Senate parliamentarians Next week: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has five Congressional Review Act resolutions on the docket for next week this time going after the EPA’s decision to allow the Golden State to tighten nitrogen oxide engine emission standards Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) bill to officially rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America The House has three bills it will consider: Tim Moore’s (R-N.C.) bill to require the attorney general to collect and make public data about attacks on police officers has bipartisan support Medicaid: Now let’s talk about one of the biggest issues facing House Republicans – what are they going to try to do to Medicaid The Energy and Commerce Committee is wrestling with policy proposals to reach its reconciliation target of $880 billion in spending cuts much of which will have to come from Medicaid we’ve heard chatter about possible changes to the federal funding match rate that states get for participating in Medicaid E&C said there’s no final decisions on policies yet “We are still in the process of exploring options throughout our jurisdiction and putting together options for our members to examine,” E&C spokesman Matt VanHyfte said we are not yet ready to comment on policy-specific items that may or may not be included in the final bill text.” that may trigger an end to the Medicaid expansion Some moderate Republicans have said they won’t support lowering the match rate “We’re not going to support anything that would lower the FMAP and we’re not going to support anything that puts caps on traditional Medicaid,” Rep Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) told reporters earlier this month D.C.’s federal Medicaid reimbursement would fall to 50% from 70% It also doesn’t raise much money – estimates say around $8 billion over 10 years so this would further squeeze the District - Jake Sherman, Samantha Handler House Republicans are already hitting snags in their reconciliation markups a troubling sign as bigger battles lie ahead Transportation and Infrastructure Republicans removed a $20 vehicle registration fee from their part of the reconciliation package after blowback from the Freedom Caucus The House Republican leadership has delayed three critical markups on President Donald Trump’s reconciliation package as internal party squabbles have hobbled the GOP’s ability to move quickly House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and key committee chairs the GOP leadership decided to delay markups next week in the House Energy and Commerce according to Republican lawmakers and aides Let’s put this in context: The Energy and Commerce and Agriculture panels are charged with finding $1.1 trillion-plus in spending cuts from Medicaid food stamps and other social safety net programs This has set off a bitter clash between the conservative and moderate wings of the House GOP conference the Ways and Means Committee’s remit is the core of the Republican reconciliation process — an extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts plus the president’s campaign priorities – The White House is seeking to change the trajectory of debate around some policies namely how House Republicans are handling Medicaid work requirements White House officials are also intent on notching a victory on lowering drug prices and see the inclusion of this policy in the reconciliation package as a political priority – Energy and Commerce needs more time to work out Medicaid conflicts both internally and with the White House – The Ways and Means Committee is waiting on budgetary scores from the Joint Committee on Taxation on a host of its policies The House GOP leadership wants the trio of committees to mark up their sections of the package during the week of May 12 But that would mean that all three panels will mark up the same week as the Budget Committee Budget is charged with stitching together one giant reconciliation package using the various pieces from all the panels For Johnson to meet his Memorial Day deadline everything would have to go according to plan in the three committees although Johnson remains dead set on this timeline and the leadership says they are still convinced they can hit it There hasn’t been a single Senate markup yet on reconciliation – and probably never will be – yet the Byrd Rule has already come into play revenue or the debt limit can be included in the filibuster-proof package Senators were dubious it would be allowed under their chamber’s rules The House Agriculture Committee looks like it will have a similar Byrd Rule problem The plan is to enact more of the farm bill through reconciliation leaving only a small number of measures for bipartisan negotiations But Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) dismissed that idea Thursday “Most of the stuff that they’re talking about I don’t think would survive the Byrd Rule in the Senate,” Boozman said “Their rules are very different from ours.” Financial Services: Two targeted agencies – the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board – both exist outside the normal appropriations process But it’s not a given that the Senate parliamentarian will agree Democrats are deeply skeptical that the effort will generate meaningful savings “House Republicans want to fire the cops on the beat who protect families from getting scammed and cheated,” Sen Natural Resources: House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) has said a major permitting overhaul is unlikely to be included in reconciliation because of Byrd Rule concerns Westerman will have to show there’s a revenue impact on the policies he’s pursuing Westerman aims to approve some mining projects in reconciliation specifically the Twin Metals mine in Minnesota He’s also floated the idea of requiring more auctions for oil and gas drilling - Jake Sherman, Samantha Handler, Laura Weiss, Brendan Pedersen We are approaching the 100th day of President Donald Trump’s presidency Trump and Republican congressional leaders often claim his new administration has been the most productive in recent memory Trump has signed fewer bills into law at this point in his presidency than any new president taking office for the last seven decades Trump has signed just five bills into law so far: three Congressional Review Act resolutions overturning Biden-era regulations the Laken Riley Act and a stopgap funding bill needed to avoid a government shutdown last month Congress actually passed the Laken Riley Act before Trump took office but the GOP leadership held it so former President Joe Biden wouldn’t be able to sign it into law Trump’s 100-day mark is officially April 30 So this is as good a time as any to judge the legislative prowess of the Republican trifecta Barack Obama had signed 11 bills into law by now Ronald Reagan had signed nine bills into law by now Jimmy Carter had signed 19 bills into law by now in 1977 Richard Nixon had signed eight bills into law by this time in 1969 Kennedy signed 20 bills into law by the end of March 1961 Eisenhower had also signed 20 bills into law by this time in 1953 There are many reasons this Congress has been historically unproductive on the legislative front – Speaker Mike Johnson has a historically small majority then Speaker Paul Ryan had 246 Republicans in the House GOP conference when Trump started his term Obama had 256 Democrats serving alongside then Speaker Nancy Pelosi They cover issues ranging from energy policy combating “unfair practices in the live entertainment market” and threatening to withdraw security clearances for lawyers at law firms that tangled with Trump with the Republican-run Congress doing almost nothing to push back Trump has stretched his authority far more than any recent president resulting in a wave of lawsuits that are working their way through federal courts – House Republicans employed a procedural tactic to prevent lawmakers from challenging Trump’s use of emergency powers to place new tariffs on Mexico threatened to get behind a bill that would reassert congressional authority over tariffs the White House threatened a veto while Speaker Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune bashed the proposal – Trump has used DOGE and Elon Musk to launch his layoffs of tens of thousands of federal employees Trump-appointed Cabinet officials – in some cases after bruising confirmation fights – have gone along with Trump’s efforts on this front – Republican congressional leaders have spent most of their time and energy on reconciliation House and Senate Republicans have passed two slightly different budget proposals Republicans expect to spend the next six weeks or so crafting a legislative vehicle that will carry the bulk of the president’s domestic agenda - Jake Sherman Breaking news: With President-elect Donald Trump set to take office in less than a week 6 Select Committee and White House are privately discussing whether to issue presidential pardons to lawmakers who served on the panel said he spoke to the White House counsel’s office last month about the issue Thompson noted that he hadn’t talked directly with President Joe Biden on the topic but the veteran Mississippi Democrat said he’d accept a pardon if offered “I believe Donald Trump when he says he’s going to inflict retribution on this,” Thompson said on Monday night. “I believe when he says my name and Liz Cheney and the others. I believe him.” Thompson and former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), the panel’s vice chair, were recently awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal by Biden Biden said he’s considering preemptive pardons for high-profile Trump critics the communication between the White House and some committee members on this topic hasn’t been previously reported Members who served on the panel haven’t asked Biden for a pardon though we’re told others have lobbied the White House to grant them Thompson noted that members have some legal protection under the Speech or Debate Clause a constitutional privilege that prevents lawmakers from executive-branch action over legitimate legislative activities Yet Thompson is concerned that Trump could use other means to strike back at Jan 6 committee members beyond pressuring the Justice Department to prosecute them “A lot of people have said if this guy [Trump] said he’s going to do things “If the president offered a pardon based on the work of the committee Thompson added that he wanted to see the newly released report from former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Smith asserted that if Trump didn’t win the presidential election, he would’ve been convicted on federal criminal charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election results in order to stay in power held a private call in late November to discuss how to navigate a post-Trump victory The topic of possible Trump retaliation — and whether they or others will need legal protection — came up during the call according to multiple sources familiar with the discussion But the group is split over whether a pardon is necessary or if they even want one Some members believe lawmakers are already sufficiently protected under the Speech or Debate Clause Others worry the optics of accepting a pardon might suggest they’re admitting wrongdoing and would decline a pardon if offered Some sources close to the issue also don’t think a Biden pardon is going to happen at this point The White House declined to comment on the issue are probably the most vulnerable to Trump’s wrath is said to be concerned about Trump targeting her according to sources familiar with the issue Those who have spoken to Cheney told us she’s fully expecting Trump to come after her But a spokesman for the former congresswoman said in a statement: “There is nothing to be pardoned for.” House Republicans used their majority over the last two years to try to absolve Trump of any Jan GOP lawmakers have made clear they plan to keep the issue alive in the 119th Congress as well with Trump returning to office Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), the chair of a House Administration subcommittee, led an investigation into the work of the Jan. 6 Select Committee and released a report on Dec. 17 recommending that Cheney be investigated by the FBI over her role on the panel Republicans claim Cheney had improper communication with star Jan 6 investigation witness Cassidy Hutchinson a former Trump White House aide who delivered explosive testimony to the select committee Hutchinson’s lawyer responded to Loudermilk on Monday, calling the report a “politically motivated attempt to rewrite history using fabricated allegations,” according to a copy of the letter obtained by Punchbowl News The letter laid out a detailed rebuttal of the allegations in the report defended Hutchinson’s communications with Cheney and said Hutchinson stands by every word of her testimony - John Bresnahan, Melanie Zanona, Jake Sherman House Budget Committee Republicans assembled a menu of options and cost estimates for the GOP’s reconciliation package that spans 11 committees, as we scooped this morning. The document aims to draw together different Republican ideas and options for the bill that the House GOP is rushing to assemble to pass key pieces of President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda Chair Jodey Arrington’s 51-page menu – which is far more detailed than previous reconciliation lists from the Texas Republican – is focused on many policies that save money but things the GOP would spend on top It shows how he’s hunting for ways to offset the GOP’s big plans Read the doc here. If you believe that this is a technical error, please contact us and tell us the location of this page Sydneysiders travelling home ahead of peak hour were met with major disruptions after a woman fell onto the tracks and became trapped under a train in the city's southwest A woman has received emergency assistance and has been rushed to hospital after falling onto tracks at a station in Sydney’s southwest The woman in her 40s was freed from beneath the train by firefighters before paramedics worked to stabilise her take her to a waiting ambulance She was then rushed to St George Hospital about 4:45pm with multiple serious injuries from the collision Transport for NSW has confirmed the trains are running again between Bankstown and Campsie on the T3 Bankstown Line after delays following the incident “Passengers are still advised to allow plenty of extra travel time,” a statement said “Passengers are also advised to listen to announcements and check information displays for service updates.” Sydney Trains earlier posted a statement on social media “Please continue to allow extra travel time due to an incident requiring emergency services at Punchbowl,” the statement read “Limited buses are replacing trains between Bankstown and Campsie in both directions due to an incident requiring emergency services at Punchbowl.” SkyNews.com.au has reached out to NSW Ambulance for comment Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is pushing for a month-long CR to give appropriators time to finish government funding bills Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said a “30 day break” would have been his preference too Kelly and Rounds were speaking at a Punchbowl News event this morning Ukraine and the likely government shutdown Oops! Something went wrong. Please refresh and try again. Punchbowl News reported that Amazon planned to show the cost of tariffs next to a product’s total price — but the company says it isn’t happening by Emma Roth “This is a hostile and political act by Amazon,” Leavitt said during a press conference on Tuesday. “It’s not a surprise, because as Reuters recently wrote, Amazon is partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.” The article Leavitt is referring to was published in 2021 In a statement to The Verge, Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle said the company only considered showing the cost of tariffs on items sold through Haul, its hub for ultra-cheap products shipped directly from China — not on its main website “The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,” Doyle said “This was never approved and is not going to happen.” Low-cost retailers like Shein and Temu have also announced that they are raising their prices in response to the levies. Update, April 29th: Added a statement from Amazon and more information about the Reuters story. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) is picking up a key endorsement in his yet-to-be-announced bid to become the next Senate Democratic whip who was floated as a potential contender for the job Schatz hasn’t officially jumped into the contest but is seen as the frontrunner and has been making calls to Democratic senators “I know [Schatz] has been talking to and listening to our colleagues for the last couple of days Brian regularly does excellent work in service of our caucus and from what I am hearing he has already earned a lot of support for this position.” The slot won’t open up until after the 2026 election but Schatz and other hopefuls will spend the next 19 months lobbying colleagues for their support Tax news: House Republican tax writers have been soft-selling to corporate lobbyists a new cap on businesses’ state and local tax deductions The effort is a sign that Republicans are seriously considering including the tax hike in their reconciliation package House Republican leadership is pushing to pass the reconciliation bill by Memorial Day The Ways and Means Committee hasn’t finalized its tax plans yet and the real test of the GOP’s search for revenue will begin when members return to town next week This may be an easier sell if Republicans planned to cut the corporate income tax rate But several people told us that the current 21% corporate rate will go untouched Republicans could move to only limit deductions for businesses’ state income taxes Capping property tax deductions would ignite more GOP backlash If Ways and Means includes a business SALT cap in its proposal there will be a bitter fight ahead with corporate America and conservative groups 2) Cracking down on sports team owners’ tax breaks A tax hike for mega-wealthy people who own professional teams is among President Donald Trump’s personal priorities for the tax bill the sports-owner tax increase could strip team owners of their ability to deduct the cost of buying a team over 15 years 3) Ways and Means is also seriously considering increasing the endowment tax on colleges and universities Schools like Harvard University and Columbia University – which have multi-billion dollar endowments — have become major Republican targets House tax writers have considered a range of increases to the endowment tax Even though the potential tax increases for corporate America — SALT deductions in particular — are causing heartburn on K Street there are likely to be plenty of big wins for the business world in the bill Ways and Means is planning to revive tax breaks for research and development interest expenses and purchases of short-term assets like equipment and machinery Republicans will try to extend these provisions permanently House GOP leaders and Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) are meeting on the personal SALT cap Wednesday afternoon “Our party can’t afford to take our votes for granted and securing them means significantly raising the SALT cap,” Rep “This isn’t just policy — it’s about fairness said she’s optimistic about striking a SALT deal that would benefit her Staten Island and Brooklyn district and I think we can achieve a number that would provide the relief needed for the people I represent,” Malliotakis said Also: GOP leadership aides and committee staffers are expected to work through reconciliation plans for the next few weeks during a 10 a.m House Republican leaders have been asking committees to hold markups over the next two weeks - Andrew Desiderio, Laura Weiss, Jake Sherman The American Bankers Association privately told the Senate Banking Committee late last month the industry had “fundamental concerns” with the stablecoin legislation led by Sen An updated version of that bill is set to be marked up tomorrow morning 28 memo obtained by Punchbowl News after being shared with Senate Banking Committee staff the nation’s largest trade association for banks said financial institutions had “fundamental concerns about insufficient regulation supervision and enforcement applying to all payment stablecoin issuers,” according to the document The GENIUS Act has changed in some significant ways since that letter was shared with the committee, making its policy prescriptions less relevant this week. Bankers seem to be feeling better about the bill today than they were last month. But the document, which you can read here, is a high watermark for the industry’s legislative worries after years of conversations with Capitol Hill about digital asset policy News: President Donald Trump has tasked Vice President JD Vance and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz with overseeing a potential sale of TikTok according to multiple sources on Capitol Hill and the White House Vance is in charge of “quarterbacking a deal to save TikTok,” according to a source familiar with the matter Waltz and the National Security Council are in charge of the national security aspect of any potential transaction The assignment puts Vance and Waltz in the midst of high-profile tech diplomatic and national security questions including who will end up owning TikTok or if the U.S ban on the influential and valuable social media app goes back into effect in April as the fallout could be intense if the 170 million Americans and millions of businesses that use the app suddenly find themselves cut off One of their first tasks may be handling hardline views on the app from Sen the number-three Republican and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee the Vance/Waltz assignment sprouts from a mix of congressional dysfunction as well as Trump’s own tendency to overpromise and skirt the rules Congress passed a bipartisan law that would force smartphones to cut off TikTok unless the app’s Chinese owners sold it to a U.S The deadline to put the app into American hands was Jan 19 — the last full day of former President Joe Biden’s administration But TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, has very little interest in selling. As Biden’s presidency came to an end, there was scant evidence of a potential deal, leading to fearful pleas by Democrats that Biden pause enforcement of the law so Democrats wouldn’t get the political blame There was little grounds for an extension under the law either only to come back and thank Trump when he signed an order on his first day pausing enforcement for 75 days Publicly, most Republicans cheered that the self-proclaimed dealmaker-in-chief was taking charge of making TikTok American-owned. However, some national security hawks — led by Cotton — were upset with the talk of pauses despite Trump’s claims that his administration is holding off on enforcement the phone app stores that face potentially huge fines under the law still aren’t making TikTok available for new downloads Vance and Waltz will be in charge of making a deal that addresses all those issues and does so quickly government itself might own some of the app potentially through a newly created sovereign wealth fund Trump has also suggested that Chinese firms might be able to retain some interest in TikTok meaning he does have the benefit of coming from the tech deal-making world should Cotton and his fellow hawks continue raising concerns There are some proposals on the table for Vance to start with as well Trump has suggested Microsoft is interested in buying TikTok The president also seems to like the idea of Elon Musk doing so as well Billionaire Frank McCourt and his business partner Kevin O’Leary (the “Shark Tank” guy) have been campaigning to take over TikTok as well we’ve learned McCourt was back on Capitol Hill meeting with Republicans this week as he builds the case for his acquisition and recruits allies to the effort Part of McCourt’s pitch for why he should buy TikTok is that he and O’Leary are actually proposing to fully end Chinese control who was on the Hill ahead of Trump’s inauguration too Here’s the download via Cotton spokesperson Patrick McCann: as he has said publicly and to other bidders that he expects any deal for TikTok to result in a complete break from Communist China in accordance with the law He also shared that he has received more bipartisan support over the last three weeks from senators and representatives on the TikTok issue than perhaps any issue he’s ever seen.” Cotton and Vance may have a lot to talk about - Ben Brody, John Bresnahan, Jake Sherman A woman has died after she was hit by a train in western Sydney was struck down at Punchbowl train station She had climbed down onto the track to retrieve something she had dropped and was unable to get back onto the platform Emergency services rushed to the station and Fire and Rescue NSW crews worked to free the woman from beneath the train. 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Tragedy as woman dies after being struck down by a train in SydneyCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} The Defense Department is proposing to make some of the spectrum it currently holds available for commercial use marking some progress between the Pentagon and carriers and lawmakers who want more frequencies available The DoD made a proposal to telecommunications carriers to free up 420 MHz of electromagnetic spectrum for commercial use according to a DoD document obtained by Punchbowl News mostly entails 100 MHz between the 3.55 GHz to 3.65 GHz frequencies and 125 MHz between 7.125 GHz and 7.25 GHz Those are critical frequencies to boost 5G service in the U.S and have been coveted by carriers and many congressional Republicans And while it likely still isn’t sufficient for many in the GOP and the telecom industry this marks the first significant step in negotiations over spectrum with the Pentagon Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Commuters watched in horror as a woman was struck and killed by a city-bound train on Tuesday afternoon after she became trapped on the tracks Police were told a 52-year-old woman had jumped onto tracks at Punchbowl station to retrieve something she had dropped but found herself unable to climb back up as a train approached Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Ambulance paramedics worked to free her and performed CPR but she could not be saved Police have spoken with multiple witnesses and have reviewed CCTV footage from the platform as part of their investigation The train driver returned a negative breath test The tragic incident led to widespread delays on the rail network on Tuesday evening with buses called in to replace services between Bankstown and Campsie The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories News: House GOP leaders tentatively plan to vote on President Donald Trump’s package to claw back billions of dollars in federal funding already approved by Congress during the week of May 5 according to multiple people familiar with the issue Trump’s White House plans to send a rescissions package to Capitol Hill this week The package includes $9.3 billion in cuts to the State Department White House officials briefed Republican aides on the Hill in both chambers last week on the package The vast majority of these cuts will be on the foreign aid side Some conservative hardliners wanted Trump to go bigger with the rescissions package but White House officials and GOP leaders are wary of a re-run of 2018 when a rescissions effort narrowly failed in the Senate Moderate Republicans and defense hawks may balk at some of the foreign aid cuts Medicaid and SNAP could see hundreds of billions in spending reductions and new restrictions DOGE has fired tens of thousands of federal employees these are some of the biggest changes to the structure of federal agencies and the direction of federal spending in decades GOP senators also have been talking about a rescissions package more as a way to shield DOGE from the myriad of lawsuits targeting its authority to slash spending already approved by Congress Senate Majority Leader John Thune met with OMB Director Russell Vought recently The South Dakota Republican told us that senators have “a high level of interest” in this Trump and Hill Republicans want to use the budget reconciliation process to boost spending on the Pentagon and border security while extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts Several House panels will begin committee markups next week on the programmatic and legal changes needed to comply with the budget resolution instructions for reconciliation Oversight and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees with the more difficult tasks – Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means House GOP leaders are rushing to try to finish work on the reconciliation package by Memorial Day although we still have our doubts about that proposed timetable - Jake Sherman, John Bresnahan, Andrew Desiderio A woman who was fatally hit by a train after jumping on the tracks to retrieve a lost item has been identified as a Vietnamese tourist Tuyet Nguyen, 52, was on holiday in Sydney  to visit family when she was struck by the train at Punchbowl train station, in Sydney's south-west, on Tuesday afternoon. She had climbed down onto the track to retrieve something she had dropped - understood to be her slipper - and was unable to get back onto the platform before the train arrived.   Ms Nguyen's nephew Toan Huyn told Daily Mail Australia his aunt holidayed in Australia - where her sister lives - every year.  Ms Nguyen regularly shared photos of her visits of Sydney to social media - including a holiday in 2022 and a trip last year, where she posted images of the Opera House.  The tragedy occurred at peak hour, with authorities closing down trains between Campsie and Bankstown in Sydney's inner west as emergency crews worked to free Ms Nguyen from beneath the locomotive.  She was immediately transferred to an ambulance before being taken to St George Hospital, but died there on Wednesday morning. Police have spoken with a number of witnesses and have reviewed CCTV as part of their inquiries. Tourist fatally struck by train after dropping an item on the tracksCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Senate GOP leaders are gearing up to take their first formal step as soon as this afternoon on advancing President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso told reporters the plan is to take the first vote on the compromise budget resolution today – the motion to proceed It’s possible that leadership adds this to the 2:30 p.m Exclusive: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) was recently the target of a sophisticated deepfake operation impersonating a top Ukrainian official according to three people briefed on the matter and communications reviewed by Punchbowl News the Senate’s security office alerted a select group of leadership aides and security chiefs for various Senate committees about the incident which occurred earlier this month on the video conference platform Zoom according to the sources briefed on the investigation warned staffers to be vigilant about similar efforts The notice did not name Cardin and only said a “senator” was the target But the people briefed on the investigation tell us that it was Cardin who’s set to retire at the end of the year after 18 years in the Senate A representative for Cardin declined to comment A representative for the FBI did not respond to a request for comment the individual was impersonating the recently-former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba “Kuleba” was asking questions during the call that the participants thought were bizarre including: “Do you support long-range missiles into Russian territory I need to know your answer,” according to the notice sent to senior Senate aides The impersonator was speaking in the voice of Kuleba which sources said they believed was likely recreated using artificial intelligence The notice stated that the impersonation effort had “technical sophistication and believability.” The notice sent to top Senate officials added that the individual was asking “politically charged questions in relation to the upcoming election… likely trying to bait the senator into commenting on a political candidate.” The people briefed on the incident and the ongoing investigation said the Russian government could be behind the effort given the nature of the questions asked The goal would be to use the conversation for propaganda purposes — for example senator into endorsing a major escalation of the Ukraine war A separate cybersecurity alert was sent earlier this week to senior Senate aides The email wasn’t nearly as detailed as the aforementioned but it warned of an “active social engineering campaign” targeting senators and staff Targets are contacted by threat actors posing as representatives of a foreign dignitary requesting an official video call that is This technique is used to discredit the victim or gain additional information Threat actors leverage existing relationships and other known information to appear legitimate This isn’t the first time senators have been targeted in this manner. In 2018, Russian hackers tried to infiltrate then-Sen Claire McCaskill’s (D-Mo.) Senate office using a series of so-called “phishing” emails intended to steal aides’ personal information That same year, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen’s (D-N.H.) staff was contacted by someone impersonating a Latvian diplomat seeking information about U.S The individual tried to set up a phone call between Shaheen and Latvia’s foreign minister News: If you’re looking for a sign that House Republicans are getting worried about cuts to Medicaid are going to be locked in a battle of wills with conservative hardliners who want to slash federal spending including Medicaid and other social safety net programs The fate of Republicans’ behemoth reconciliation bill — which will also carry key GOP priorities like tax cuts a Pentagon spending hike and more border security funding — is linked to the Medicaid standoff The message: The moderate Republicans’ letter to House GOP leadership and Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) says Medicaid cuts could threaten nursing homes and hospitals “We support targeted reforms to improve program integrity and modernize delivery systems to fix flaws in the program that divert resources away from children and pregnant women — those who the program was intended to help we cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations.” The House Republicans who signed onto the letter include: Reps Andrew Garbarino (N.Y.) and Jeff Hurd (Colo.) It’s not clear exactly where these members will draw the line just yet But Republicans will clash over the specifics in the weeks ahead and that’s where things get tricky “There’s reasonable actions we can support like work requirements for able bodied adults without children and auditing the Medicaid list,” Bacon told us “But there will not be the votes to cut Medicaid for those who need it or to the hospitals that we need to preserve.” Kim said in a statement that a reconciliation package “that does not protect vital Medicaid services for the most vulnerable citizens in my community will not receive my vote,” adding she’s made that clear to constituents and GOP leadership Some of the GOP lawmakers who signed onto this letter – Van Drew Malliotakis and LaLota – huddled with Speaker Mike Johnson on the House floor during the budget resolution vote just before recess they touted promises from Johnson that Medicaid cuts won’t go too deep Van Drew later told reporters that Johnson promised not to cut Medicaid for individuals who are “qualified” to receive the benefit LaLota told us that the speaker vowed to take a “compassionate approach.” But Johnson also told conservatives agitating for massive spending cuts that he’s committed to slashing $1.5 trillion or more That sets up a brutal fight in late April and May Some members are bound to end up feeling jilted The politics: This group of more centrist Republicans is signaling that they’re willing to play hardball to avoid Medicaid cuts These sorts of members aren’t usually the ones to threaten to take down major legislation But there are enormous political and policy stakes at play here a number of GOP senators — including several with large Medicaid populations — also have warned party leaders against making draconian cuts to the popular program Democrats have been hammering Republicans over the potential Medicaid cuts saying it will jeopardize the health of millions of children and low-income families This is going to be one of the most prominent messaging wars heading into the 2026 cycle Democrats have tied the Medicaid cuts to Republicans’ tax plans making the case that the GOP will slash the health care program while also preserving lower tax rates for wealthier Americans But with unrelenting pressure from conservatives to slash social safety net programs as part of the tax bill - Mica Soellner, Laura Weiss, Jake Sherman, Samantha Handler, John Bresnahan Dramatic pictures have captured the rescue effort by emergency services after a woman was hit by a train in Sydney aged 52 from Vietnam who was visiting relatives in Australia on Tuesday afternoon shortly before peak hour She was immediately transferred to an ambulance before being taken to St George Hospital She had climbed down onto the track to retrieve something she'd dropped - understood to be a slide-on shoe she was wearing - and was unable to get back onto the platform Vision shows emergency services who had rushed to the station, including Fire and Rescue NSW crews, as they worked to free the woman from beneath the train. A team of paramedics then performed CPR on the woman as she was carefully shepherded on a stretcher from the platform, through the train station and into a waiting ambulance.  A police patrol car then arrived under sirens to deliver blood to paramedics working in the back of the ambulance. The incident sparked widespread shutdowns and delays of train routes in Sydney on Tuesday. Crowds were backed up at Central Station awaiting trains that were slowly travelling on the T3 Bankstown line. 'Service disruption - Allow extra travel time due to an incident requiring emergency services at Punchbowl earlier,' warning signs read. Commuters travelling towards Punchbowl had to board all-stops services to Revesby, with several services cancelled. Officers have spoken with a number of witnesses at the scene and have reviewed CCTV as part of their inquiries. Chilling photo shows moments after horror train accidentCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} The legendary life and career of newsman Ernie Pyle was celebrated Friday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Punchbowl Crater the famed war correspondent’s final resting place The Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation put on the ceremony which marked the 80th anniversary of his death during the Battle of Okinawa By Jamm Aquino Hawaii Photos With three days until the first funding deadline of the Trump era Speaker Mike Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are locked in a high-stakes power struggle with a government shutdown on the line who relies heavily on President Donald Trump to pass anything is trying to deliver nearly every House Republican vote for the CR to keep the government open until Sept At stake isn’t only keeping embattled federal agencies running which Hill Republicans are desperately trying to make progress on economy and Wall Street teeter under Trump’s trade war and the DOGE-driven federal layoffs in his second term as the House Democratic leader has gone all in on opposing the funding bill saying his caucus “will not be complicit in the Republican effort to hurt the American people.” Trump has made calls to undecided House Republicans and will continue to work the phones today according to sources familiar with his plans Trump lashed out at Massie late Monday night on Truth Social for being a no: “HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED and I will lead the charge against him.” Trump compared Massie to “Liz Chaney [sic] Vice President JD Vance will attend the Republican Conference meeting this morning for a final lobbying blitz OMB Director Russ Vought – a former Hill aide himself – met with GOP lawmakers on Monday night Vought has been speaking to House Republicans one-on-one about the package “Trump is all in,” one House Republican leadership aide told us Monday night “Members can’t be on the wrong side of this.” Some of the opposition may be performative Remember: Several House Republicans opposed giving Johnson another term as speaker in early January but buckled after Trump weighed in a number of House Republicans backed the budget resolution only after entreaties from Trump had no problem saying no to Vought Monday evening Van Duyne said she appreciated the time Vought took to walk through the resolution with her over the weekend but didn’t think she could get on board Yet the House Republican leadership feels unusually confident that they’ll be able to turn these holdouts giving Republican leaders and the White House a boost Johnson moved the funding deadline to March so he could get elected speaker in January Now the Louisiana Republican is figuring out how to get out of this situation in one piece The real challenge for Jeffries is whether he can hold Democrats back on the floor with a shutdown on the line and the House Democratic retreat beginning Wednesday in Virginia the top Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations panels released their own 30-day CR proposal to keep federal agencies open until April 11 The two senior Democrats say this would give both sides time to find a compromise on FY 2025 spending As many as five House Democrats could miss the vote And some Democrats – although only a few – may back the Republican CR Johnson only has a one-seat margin if all members are present and voting so any Democratic votes or absences is a boost for his side who repeatedly insisted to us that they were focused on what the House could pass took a very cautious stance on the CR when asked how they’d vote eight Democrats have to vote yes to overcome a filibuster key Senate Democrats trashed the GOP CR as bad policy But these senators also reiterated they view a shutdown as an outcome no one wants And they’re not declaring it DOA in the Senate “I’m waiting to see what the final version is until then we’re not gonna make any decisions,” Sen “Passing a full-year CR risks handing [Trump] a huge slush fund with which to do what he wants in ways that could be harmful to our national security,” Sen Mark Warner (D-Va.) called the CR “awful.” Just days ago Warner told us he preferred a CR to a government shutdown despite the huge number of federal workers in the state The bill was drafted with zero Democratic input That’s a tough pill for many Democrats to swallow some may opt to hold their nose and vote yes even as a majority of the caucus votes against it Multiple lawmakers said they’re still holding out hope for a 30-day CR to allow appropriators time to work out an omnibus funding package Yet that’s only a relevant scenario if House Republicans fail to pass their CR - John Bresnahan, Jake Sherman, Max Cohen Shaheen may have no greater challenge than the one she’s about to take on News: A bipartisan group of senators — led in part by Shaheen the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — is crafting a sanctions package aimed at maximizing Ukraine’s leverage amid the ongoing U.S.-Russia negotiations The effort is still in its early stages and could potentially include separate proposals from Sens Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) which would trigger sanctions if Russia violates any diplomatic agreement But the broader effort is intended to safeguard and strengthen the Russia sanctions package that Congress passed overwhelmingly in 2017 the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) President Donald Trump was essentially forced to sign the measure into law given that it passed the Senate 98-2 and the House 419-3 “I want to do everything I can to support Ukraine in this war to try to ensure that they’re in the best position possible for any negotiations and try to do what I can to hold [Vladimir] Putin accountable,” Shaheen said in an interview last week after announcing her retirement this would also give Congress a say amid bipartisan concerns over potential U.S Shoring up sanctions that already passed with huge majorities — in addition to codifying those imposed via executive order after the invasion — would make it more difficult for Trump to lift sanctions on Russia The Trump administration is loath to embrace anything that could disrupt their ongoing diplomatic talks with Moscow over ending the Ukraine war And Republicans are generally sensitive about even the appearance of undercutting Trump see it as a way for Congress to give the Trump administration additional tools to assuage Ukraine’s concerns about Russia’s willingness to abide by a diplomatic agreement “I continue to believe — I was just talking to [Mitch] McConnell about this earlier — that there is still bipartisan support in Congress not only for Ukraine but an understanding of the threat that Russia poses,” Shaheen said “Regardless of what Donald Trump and JD Vance say.” Graham said such an effort would only strengthen a diplomatic deal because “Russia would know exactly what happens to their economy if they [invade] a third time.” This could include imposing tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil as well as targeting Russia’s central bank “That’s a critical part of deterrence,” Graham added Shaheen’s role: Shaheen was upbeat about her chances of success in part because she won’t have to worry about the stress of a reelection bid is leaving as her influence in the Democratic Caucus is greater than it’s ever been Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has referred to Shaheen as the caucus’ leader on foreign policy matters “It was more about wanting to be able to leave when I felt like I could still do the job well and not wanting to be here in a situation where I couldn’t do the job or I had something going on with my family… that would be a distraction,” Shaheen said of her decision - Andrew Desiderio FCC Chair Brendan Carr has been making a lot of news as he cranks through a busy agenda at the Federal Communications Commission He’s taking an aggressive approach that has thrilled his supporters and drawn strong condemnation from his foes We spoke with Carr in a nearly 40-minute-long interview this week (you can listen to it here) about much of what he’s been up to at the FCC and what he plans for the weeks and months ahead some news: Carr told us he’s sending a letter to ABC’s parent company He said the company’s DEI initiatives may run afoul of the agency’s equal employment opportunity requirements for licensees Carr has made President Donald Trump’s crusade against DEI a priority for his chairmanship Carr has said he will block mergers pending before the commission if one of the companies involved has DEI initiatives I suggest that they get busy ending their promotion of DEI,” he said We also spoke with Carr about negotiations over making more spectrum commercially available his views on whether Trump can fire FCC commissioners and his space agenda Spectrum: Carr told us he’s spoken with “high-ranking officials” at the Defense Department about the effort in Congress to make more spectrum commercially available leaders of the Senate Commerce and House Energy and Commerce Committees are pushing to expand spectrum availability for commercial use in the Republican reconciliation package They also want to renew the FCC’s authority to auction spectrum But members of the national security community and some of their Republican Hill allies have raised concerns about the effort Carr said he’s involved in talks with lawmakers and others to find a compromise and revealed the White House has been holding meetings on this issue “We’ve met with officials at the White House that have convened actors across the federal government and I know there are conversations that have taken place with [Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth] and I’m pretty confident that we’ll find a path forward that’s going to work for national security interests Media probes: Soon after taking over the FCC NBC and ABC over various issues concerning the 2025 election after they had been dismissed by the previous chair He’s also investigating public broadcasters NPR and PBS for allegedly airing commercials Carr told us he wants to be “even-handed” in his approach but many Democrats and some civil liberties groups say that hasn’t been the case and that Carr is chilling speech They point out that while he brought back the complaints against the three networks When we questioned Carr over the Fox complaint which was centered on its coverage of the 2020 election He said there was a public comment period for the Fox complaint while the others were “summarily dismissed” without a record Agency independence: Trump’s assertion of control over independent agencies has drawn a lot of concern but the president’s supporters say it’s within his constitutional authority Trump has fired Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission and the National Labor Relations Board These officials are challenging their firings and the Supreme Court will likely have to decide the issue eventually which curbed the president’s power to remove officials at independent agencies at will But Carr noted to us the Communications Act of 1934 was enacted before that Supreme Court ruling “Congress decided to impose no limit at all on the president’s removal of an FCC commissioner,” he said Space: Carr said he wants the United States to lead in the space economy which potentially benefit Elon Musk’s Starlink Carr touted his approval of Starlink’s proposal of direct-to-cell service in partnership with T-Mobile That came despite opposition from other telecom titans AT&T and Verizon Smaller satellite companies like EchoStar and Viasat have also raised concerns about diminishing competition in the sector as Starlink is gaining ground A potential unfair advantage for Musk has also been a concern for Democrats on the Hill, as we’ve reported. But Carr dismissed concerns of an anticompetitive advantage and cited Globalstar’s partnership with Apple which plans on operating a satellite constellation similar to Starlink robust amount of competition given where we are in terms of the emergence of space services,” he said Universal Service Fund: We also spoke to Carr about the case currently playing out at the Supreme Court over the FCC’s Universal Service Fund program which promotes service access to all Americans Justices are hearing arguments this morning over the constitutionality of the program that has been challenged by a conservative group over its funding and administration The USF is administered by the nonprofit Universal Service Administrative Company and is paid for by contributions from telecom providers But Carr didn’t firmly say he wants his agency’s program saved by the court Solicitor General] is that we’re defending that program And I haven’t looked specifically at the briefs to see officially where the SG is on that As we’ve reported, saving the program is a priority for members of both parties on the Hill - Diego Areas Munhoz This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page