War Powers, Appropriations, and More
Remember how little Congress was accomplishing toward the end of the year? The negotiations with no result and the long shutdown-related inactivity? Well, it’s opposite day.
The Senate plans to vote on war powers, the House will vote on spending for a fat slice of the government, and that chamber also has an Obamacare subsidy bill and a couple veto overrides in position for action.
War Powers
Republican Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska crossed party lines in November to back an effort to halt military strikes against suspected drug traffickers tied to Venezuela. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said he’s hoping more of his GOP colleagues will vote with the Democrats today on a measure seeking to block further military action against Venezuela.
The resolution (
And though today’s vote is specifically about Venezuela, Greenland is also a hot topic on Capitol Hill. Jonathan Tamari sought out GOP lawmakers’ thoughts on Trump’s intentions there and found that members of his party are interpreting his comments and actions in multiple ways. Read More
See Also:
- Senior Republicans Oppose US Military Incursion in Greenland
- Trump Forces Greenlanders Into Making Uncomfortable Choices
- US Unveils Strategy on Venezuelan Oil, Spurring Rush for Access
FY26 Spending
Compromise legislation to fund multiple departments, including Commerce, Energy, the EPA, Interior, and Justice, is set for a vote this afternoon in the House.
There was drama yesterday when Republicans were temporarily short of the support needed on a procedural vote. A few ultraconservatives stalled the action in a display of discontent over the earmarks.
Ken Tran and Zach C. Cohen report in today’s BGOV Budget that House Freedom Caucus members say their message was received. “Going forward, we’re going to be allowed a little more access to the bills and the ability to have an impact on them in the future,” Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) told reporters.
Veto Overrides
Maeve Sheehey reports that Republican leaders decided to stand down and make no effort to sway votes on overriding two Trump vetoes (H.R. 131 and H.R. 504 ). Both of the vetoes spiked bills that had Republican support and thorough vetting, but affected locations where Trump has unrelated beefs with local leaders.
Republicans are in the driver’s seat since it takes a two-thirds majority to override. They’ll need to assess how strongly Trump feels about punishing the affected states and then either let the vetoes stand or revive the legislation.
Expired Health Subsidies
Passage appears likely when the House finishes consideration of legislation to revive the enhanced Obamacare subsidies that were allowed to expire at the end of the year, triggering dramatic premium spikes. Nine swing-district Republicans joined Democrats on a procedural vote yesterday that advanced the bill to the House floor, Caitlin Reilly reports.
After that vote, which could happen as soon as today, cue the negotiators. A bipartisan group of senators is already working on a deal that would include some changes to the program along with a two-year extension. Read More
Hoyer Not Running Again
Today will also include a retirement announcement on the House floor from Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer, who spent more than two decades as Democrats’ No. 2 leader, The Washington Post reports.
Hoyer, 86, is the third-longest-serving member of the House.
See Also:
- Abortion Poses a Big Hurdle for ACA Tax Credit Talks
- White House Walks Back Trump Comments After Abortion Blowback
Uproar After Minnesota Shooting
The fatal shooting of a woman in her car by an ICE agent in Minneapolis sparked an uproar over the presence of federal immigration forces in the city and deepened political divisions between the federal government and state and local officials, Myles Miller and Alicia A. Caldwell report.
The Wednesday shooting — caught on video and shared widely on social media — happened during what federal officials described as a targeted operation amid a broader immigration effort. Trump and his allies cast the shooting as self-defense, a view that the Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called a “garbage narrative.”
- “The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city,” Frey said. “We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.” Read More
Tricky Numbers
No hall passes, no excuses: Sheehey reports that the House majority is now so tight that leaders will be scowling at any no-shows.
“Attendance is key — there’s no room for error,” Main Street Caucus Chairman Mike Flood (R-Neb.) said.
The GOP already had a narrow edge, but this week Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) died, Rep. Jim Baird (R-Ind.) was hospitalized after a car accident, and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) quit Congress. “I’m not worried about the numbers,” said Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), noting that similar numbers in July didn’t stop them from passing Trump’s signature tax-and-spending bill. Read More
Eye on Tariffs
A lot of US companies have seen the cost of doing business go up as they fork over millions in new tariffs in order to pick up what they’ve imported.
With the Supreme Court poised to decide the fate of most of those new levies — perhaps as soon as tomorrow — Zoe Tillman, Jeannette Neumann, and Laura Curtis report that more than 1,000 corporate entities are now involved in the legal fight that could eventually result in refunds.
The cases are dominated by companies in the apparel and textile business; the auto industry; and companies that make industrial and electrical equipment.
About $133 billion in duties had been collected under Trump’s novel use of emergency authority as of Dec. 14, according to a report by the US Court of International Trade. A government court filing said the money was collected from more than 301,000 importers across 34 million shipments of goods entering the country as of Dec. 10. Read More
Also Read: Trump’s Options If Supreme Court Says His Tariffs Are Illegal
Two Defense Pivots
The companies that supply the US military have a White House shock to absorb now that Trump has signed an executive order directing how they should be run. Trump said production isn’t accelerating fast enough, so the companies aren’t allowed to issue dividends or buy back their own stock until the changes he wants have been made. Read More
Trump also posted on social media that the government isn’t spending enough on defense. For 2027, he said it should be boosted by more than $50%, to $1.5 trillion. That would be an unprecedented jump. Read More
Also Read: Trump Demands More Defense Spending But Threatens Biggest Firms
When a Bot Says No
A handful of states are part of an experiment using artificial intelligence to do pre-authorization screenings for some Medicare-covered services. Legislation seeking to thwart both the wider use of bots and other prior authorization tests is among 10 bills on the hearing agenda today for the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.
Seniors “shouldn’t have to worry about AI deciding whether they get the care they need,” sponsoring Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) said when the bill (H.R. 6361) was introduced.
Today’s hearing is part of a broad look at the way Medicare pays for services and at seniors’ access to health care. Other bills up for discussion address laboratory fees, prosthetics, home infusion therapy, and more.
Before You Go
Trump Hands GOP Housing Fix to Address Affordability Concerns
President Donald Trump is changing his tune on affordability, telling Republicans they can follow his lead on making it easier for people to buy their first home.
Trump Seeks $6 Million for Legal Costs of Georgia Election Case
President
Senate Republicans Call to Impeach Federal Judges Over Rulings
Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans ramped up calls for the House to impeach a pair of federal judges caught in President Donald Trump’s crosshairs for rulings they issued seen as unfavorable to the administration.
SEC War on ‘Frivolous’ Litigation Upends Wall Street Cop’s Role
SEC Chairman Paul Atkins’ bid to curb “frivolous” shareholder complaints signals a new level of hostility toward investors and lawyers typically viewed as the Wall Street cop’s allies, and the effort has struggled to get off the ground as companies are slow to adopt mandatory arbitration clauses for shareholders.
RFK Jr. Dietary Guidelines to Shape Food Policy, Industry Change
Nutrition recommendations the US government released Wednesday are set to play a key role influencing regulatory changes and federally funded programs that determine what food tens of millions of Americans eat.
New US Vaccine Guidance for Kids Raises Risk for Injury Program
The Trump administration’s unprecedented decision to slash the number of recommended vaccines for children opens the door to changes in a program for individuals seeking compensation from drug manufacturers over immunization injuries.
DeSantis Calls for Florida Redistricting Session in April
Florida Governor
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