Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Author: shailender

Senate Democrats cave, open path to reopening government

Senate Democrats cave, open path to reopening government

The Senate took a massive step forward on its way to reopening the government on Sunday, with a group of Senate Democrats caving and joining Republicans in their bid to pass a revamped plan to end the shutdown. Signs that the shutdown, which entered its 40th day, could be ending became more and more clear as the day went on, particularly with the unveiling of a bipartisan package of spending bills that lawmakers hope to attach to a modified bill to reopen the government. Eight Senate Democrats crossed the aisle to mark the first step in the GOP’s quest to end the shutdown. Many of the lawmakers that splintered from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., were among those engaged in bipartisan talks over the last several weeks. Among the defectors were Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, John Fetterman, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Jacky Rosen, D-N.M., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and the number two Democrat in the Senate, Dick Durbin, D-Ill. REPUBLICANS UNVEIL KEY PIECE OF SHUTDOWN PUZZLE IN BID TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT “The question was, does the shutdown further the goal of achieving some needed support for the extension of the tax credits? Our judgment was that it will not,” King said. “It would not produce that result. And the evidence for that is almost seven weeks of fruitless attempts to make that happen.” Schumer and Senate Democrats long stayed the course that they would only vote to reopen the government in exchange for a solid deal on extending expiring Obamacare subsidies. But the solution developed over the last several days included nothing of the sort. While there were some wins in the updated continuing resolution (CR), like reversals of some of the firings of furloughed workers undertaken by the Trump administration and guaranteeing back pay for furloughed workers, there was no guaranteed victory in sight on the Obamacare issue. That means that Senate Democrats effectively caved with little to show for their healthcare push, save for the guarantee of a vote on the subsidies from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., which was reflected in the updated CR.  Schumer panned the compromise deal, and charged that when Republicans rejected Democrats’ own counter-proposal that would have extended the expiring subsidies for a year, “They showed that they are against any health care reform.” “This healthcare crisis is so severe, so urgent, so devastating for families back home that I cannot, in good faith, support this CR that fails to address the healthcare crisis,” Schumer said.  SENATE IN LIMBO AS THUNE EYES LONG HAUL UNTIL SHUTDOWN ENDS Thune was optimistic that the plan would work, and reiterated his promise of a vote on the expiring subsidies. However, whatever legislation is produced to address the Obamacare issue is likely to fail.  “Regardless, as I have said for weeks to my Democrat friends, I will schedule a vote on their proposal, and I’ve committed to having that vote no later than second week in December,” he said.  Progressives in the caucus were unhappy with the developments, too. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, charged that it would be a “horrific mistake” for Democrats to cave now without an Obamacare deal. “If Democrats cave on this issue, what it will say to Donald Trump is that he has a green light to go forward toward authoritarianism,” Sanders said. “And I think that would be a tragedy for this country.” Still, there is a long way to go before the government officially reopens. Sunday’s vote was the first in a series needed in the Senate to modify the original House-passed continuing resolution and combine it with the three-bill spending package and updated CR, which, if passed, would reopen the government until Jan. 30, 2026. Lawmakers hope that if given the extra time, they could finish funding the government with spending bills rather than turning to another CR or colossal omnibus spending package, which crams all 12 government funding bills into one piece of legislation. “If we blow this window, we’re going to get stuck with a yearlong CR,” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said. DEMS BLOCK GOP BILL ENSURING FEDERAL WORKER, MILITARY PAYCHECKS CONTINUE DURING SHUTDOWN And the shutdown won’t end in the Senate, given that the changes to the legislation will need to be greenlit by the House before making it to President Donald Trump’s desk. Democrats could still extract pain through procedural hurdles unless there is unanimous agreement from all 100 senators to move forward with the remaining votes. The Obamacare issue is still bubbling on both sides of the aisle, however. Senate Republicans slammed the state of healthcare throughout Saturday, particularly over how the subsidies funneled money to insurance companies. Democrats still remained skeptical if their frustration, and desire to make changes to take on insurance companies, was legitimate. “The point, I think that’s really relevant here, is if they’re serious, and I really question whether that’s the case,” Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said.

Flight reductions likely to continue — or worsen — if shutdown persists, experts warn

Flight reductions likely to continue — or worsen — if shutdown persists, experts warn

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) started reducing air traffic across 40 airports Friday due to air traffic controller staffing issues stemming from the government shutdown. As the government shutdown has hit 40 days, more air traffic control workers have refused to come to work as they’re about to miss a second paycheck next week — prompting the FAA to make cuts to ensure no safety issues arise. But these flight reductions will likely continue if the shutdown does — or worsen — and could impact thousands of flights daily, according to Marc Scribner, a senior transportation policy analyst at the libertarian Reason Foundation think tank. “This would affect thousands of flights per day, and tens of thousands of passengers potentially seeing their flights canceled — a major disruption,” Scribner told Fox News Digital Thursday. As of Sunday, there are now enough Senate Democrats willing to back a revamped plan to reopen the government. But if the shutdown doesn’t end, air travel disruptions are at risk.  AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ISSUE DESPERATE PLEA AS FAMILIES STRUGGLE WITHOUT PAYCHECKS “I don’t think we would expect, if the shutdown continues, for staffing levels to improve over what they are right now,” Scribner said. “If anything, they will continue to deteriorate as controllers call out sick or perhaps even resign. So I would expect it would not get better as long as the shutdown continues.” Scribner said that travelers shouldn’t be concerned that the reduction in flights would translate to a lapse in safety, but said they should be aware that their travel schedules will likely take a hit as a result. “They’re not going to allow unsafe flights. So whatever that means in terms of staffing capability and workflow, they are going to reduce the flights in order to maintain that very high level of safety that’s demanded of that,” Scribner said. “Travelers shouldn’t be concerned about safety in this, but they should be concerned about their travel schedules, which are likely to be impacted.” Richard Stern, director of the Grover M. Hermann Center for the Federal Budget at conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation, also said he expects this reduction to continue until the shutdown ends.  “Unfortunately, I think it’s going to have to continue until the shutdown ends, because they’re running through resources that they don’t have until this funding again,” Stern told Fox News Digital Thursday.  Stern said the government has been entering into uncharted territory now with what minimum services the government is required to provide, despite the fact that funding has expired.  “No one really knows exactly what the next steps are after this,” Stern said.  WITH THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREATENING AIR TRAVEL, A GOP BILL SEEKS TO KEEP FLIGHTS RUNNING No clarity has been provided regarding how long this reduction in flights is expected to continue. The Department of Transportation, which oversees the FAA, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. The FAA said Friday that air traffic will be cut by 10% in the coming days across 40 “high-volume” markets, including those in major cities like Atlanta, Denver, Dallas, Orlando, Miami and San Francisco, according to a list of airports obtained by The Associated Press. Major metropolitan areas with several airports like New York and Chicago will have outages at multiple locations. Reducing air traffic in response to the lapse in funding from the government shutdown is unprecedented, according to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. AMERICANS COULD FACE AIRPORT CHAOS IF DEMS DON’T END SHUTDOWN, TRUMP OFFICIAL WARNS “I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said at a news conference Wednesday. Air traffic controllers have been working without pay since the shutdown kicked off Oct. 1, and often are required to work six days a week in addition to mandatory overtime. Bedford said that the decision to reduce air traffic was made in order to prevent a crisis from emerging, amid increased staffing pressures and voluntary safety reports from pilots suggesting that air traffic controllers were facing heightened levels of fatigue. SEAN DUFFY WARNS OF RECORD STRAIN ON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AHEAD OF FIRST MISSED PAYCHECK “We’re not going to wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself when the early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating,” Bedford said. “The system is extremely safe today and will be extremely safe tomorrow. If the pressures continue to build even after we take these measures, we’ll come back and take additional measures.” The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Billionaire Miriam Adelson voices support for Stefanik’s New York governor campaign launch

Billionaire Miriam Adelson voices support for Stefanik’s New York governor campaign launch

EXCLUSIVE – Though she stopped short of a formal endorsement, billionaire philanthropist Miriam Adelson voiced support for Rep. Elise Stefanik’s New York gubernatorial bid during the Zionist Organization of America’s Justice Louis D. Brandeis Award Dinner on Sunday night, praising her for confronting antisemitism in government and higher education. Stefanik, chairwoman of the House Republican Leadership, was honored with the Zionist Organization of America’s Mortimer Zuckerman Maccabee Warrior Award for her efforts to combat antisemitism. Introducing her at the gala, Adelson lauded Stefanik for confronting university leaders over antisemitism and invoked her late husband Sheldon Adelson’s insistence on moral conviction. “When I heard you talking to the heads of the universities, I said to myself, ‘She has the guts to say the truth,’” Adelson said. “Sheldon used to say, ‘stand up for what you believe in even if you stand up alone,’ and you showed us and all the world courage.” STEFANIK DECRIES HOCHUL AS ‘WORST GOVERNOR IN AMERICA’ IN FIERY 2026 CAMPAIGN LAUNCH Adelson went on to describe Stefanik as “a great leader,” crediting her for defending “the Jewish people, Israel and the Free World.” “Thank you for continuing to be what you are — a brave lady,” Adelson said. “I send to you from here a hug for all your achievements, and I hope to visit you in the office of New York governor next year after the election.” Adelson, the majority owner of Las Vegas Sands and a philanthropist and physician whose net worth is estimated in the $30 billion-plus range, has been a prominent Republican mega-donor and backed the pro-Trump super PAC Preserve America in multiple election cycles. KEY TRUMP ALLY JUMPS INTO NEW YORK GOVERNOR’S RACE DAYS AFTER SHOCKING MAMDANI MAYORAL VICTORY The Zionist Organization of America event, held in New York, drew political and philanthropic leaders from across the pro-Israel community. “I am honored to receive such high praise and support from my friend Dr. Adelson who has served as a pillar of Jewish advocacy and strength in her fight to ensure the light of freedom, faith, and truth never goes out,” Stefanik told Fox News Digital. “I thank her for her glowing words of encouragement in my fight to save New York and fire Kathy Hochul.” Stefanik launched her long-anticipated Republican campaign for New York governor on Friday, entering the 2026 race as she challenges Democratic Gov. Hochul. A top House Republican and one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies, Stefanik represents a conservative-leaning district in upstate New York and had been weighing a gubernatorial run for months. REP. ELISE STEFANIK LABELS NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE ZOHRAN MAMDANI A ‘JIHADIST’ “I’m running for governor to make New York affordable and safe. We have seen decades of single-party rule led by Democrats. And Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America,” Stefanik said Friday morning on “Fox & Friends.” “New York is the most unaffordable state in the nation, with the highest taxes, the highest energy bills, the highest utility bills. We also have a crime crisis because Kathy Hochul has brought us failed bail reform and has embraced the defund the police Democrats,” Stefanik continued. “And after this week… when we saw a raging anti-Semite pro-Hamas communist who wants to raise taxes. And frankly, he barely won the majority of New York City voters, Kathy Hochul endorsed him and bent the knee,” Stefanik added, referencing New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist. STEFANIK BOOED OFFSTAGE AS PROTESTERS CHANT ‘TRAITOR’ DURING UPSTATE NEW YORK MEMORIAL EVENT When announcing her campaign the day before she launched it, Stefanik said, “I am running for Governor to bring a new generation of leadership to Albany to make New York affordable and safe for families all across our great state.” “Our campaign will unify Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to fire Kathy Hochul once and for all to save New York,” she pledged in her statement and accompanying video. Stefanik, a member of the House Republican leadership, again charged that “Kathy Hochul is the worst governor in America,” repeating a line that she’s used for months. STEFANIK TO RELEASE NEW BOOK ON COLLEGE ANTISEMITISM AS SHE EYES BID FOR NY GOVERNOR “People are looking for strong, commonsense leadership to be a check on this radical insanity that we’re seeing play out in New York City with Zohran Mamdani as a tax-hiking, defund the police, antisemite socialist,” Stefanik said in an interview Thursday on “The Story with Martha MacCallum.” And in her campaign launch announcement, she reiterated that Hochul “bent the knee” to Mamdani. Hochul has since turned to social media and interviews with CNN to attack Stefanik’s record of being a “Trump Republican.” On Friday, Hochul posted, “While I’m fighting like hell to lower costs for New York families, Elise Stefanik is screwing over New Yorkers and jacking up costs to please Trump. Stefanik will always put Trump first and you last.” In another post that same day, Hochul shared a clip from her appearance on CNN, on X. “Elise Stefanik is more than just Trump’s ally. She’s voted with him 100% of the time this year,” Hochul wrote. “She owns this shutdown. She owns the fact that 3 million New Yorkers are trying to figure out how to feed their families. That’s Sellout Stefanik.” Fox News Digital has reached out to Hochul’s office for a comment regarding Adelson’s voice support for Stefanik. Stefanik, who once criticized Trump during his first presidential run, has since become one of his staunchest defenders in Congress. Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to what to expect tonight on the government shutdown

Hitchhiker’s Guide to what to expect tonight on the government shutdown

The Senate is moving toward a test vote tonight to break a filibuster on a new GOP spending plan. This test vote is not to be underestimated. If the Senate breaks a filibuster on the test vote tonight, it’s likely the government shutdown is just a few days from ending. Here’s what we expect: Sometime between 8 and 10 pm EST, the Senate will take the test vote to break the filibuster on the revised GOP spending package. The revamped bill re-opens the government through at least January 30. That buys lawmakers time to work on individual spending bills. However, the package includes full spending bills until next fall for the Department of Agriculture, veterans and military construction programs plus Congress. It’s about the math. Sixty yeas are needed to break a filibuster Republicans believe they can get a group of Democrats to side with them to at least break the filibuster. SENATE COULD TAKE TEST VOTE ON NEW SPENDING BILL AS EARLY AS SUNDAY AFTERNOON FOX is told to keep an eye on these senators who caucus with the Democrats: Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Mark Warner, D-Va., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., John Fetterman, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Angus King, I-Maine, and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Also keep an eye on Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., has expressed interest in opening the government. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHERE WE STAND WITH A POTENTIAL BREAK IN THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN In addition, it is unclear if Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., could vote yes. Paul previously voted to block the old GOP funding plan. A potential yea or nay vote by Paul could determine how many Democrats are needed to break the filibuster. After all, it’s about the math. Voting to break the filibuster does not necessarily mean that these senators would eventually vote for the underlying bill. However, Republicans can haul the freight on their own with a simple majority and won’t need any Democrats for final passage. What happens if the Senate scores 60 yeas? By the book, it would take until NEXT weekend to get to a final vote on the bill. But that probably doesn’t happen. There are two schools of thought: One school says that Democrats are frustrated with one another and just want to get out of the Capitol. So it’s possible they could forge a time agreement and vote on final passage of the bill overnight tonight or maybe during the daylight hours on Monday. The other school says Democrats are so mad over the health care capitulation that they require the Senate to burn significant time over the next few days and pass the bill mid-week. Some Democrats are outraged that their colleagues may help out the GOP and re-open the government – without an ironclad agreement to re-up expiring Obamacare subsidies. This chasm will spark a Democratic civil war. House Democrats fumed at Senate Democrats for helping the GOP avoid a shutdown in March. This battle will only intensify between those who support the test vote tonight and those who were dug in on Obamacare. REPUBLICANS UNVEIL KEY PIECE OF SHUTDOWN PUZZLE IN BID TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT Moreover, it’s entirely possible that Democrats blocked government funding for 40 days – and their own party threw them under the bus without a solution to the Obamacare problem. However, Democrats pushing for the Obamacare assistance may have lost the battle – but could yet win the war. They have successfully put the health care affordability issue on the radar and could force Republicans and President Trump to address it. If they don’t Democrats may have secured a crucial issue ahead of next year’s midterms. Here’s another factor: Some rank-and-file Democrats are fuming at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Liberals raged at Schumer when he sided with the GOP in the spring. Now some think Schumer overcorrected and went too far this time. This could have consequences for leadership elections down the road. So what changed for some Democrats? The pressure of the shutdown was beginning to mount. It was a toxic combination of aviation delays (with the holidays looming), air traffic controllers off their jobs, federal workers missing paychecks, no distribution of SNAP benefits, Capitol Police officers and Congressional aides working without pay… you name it. Plus, some Democrats scored spending priorities important to them in the appropriations bills tacked on to the package. That’s what makes this measure different from the one which Democrats have blocked since late September. And, a new funding deadline of January 30 gives lawmakers the chance to finish the other spending bills and get their big asks into those bills. So, it was a combination of things which altered the equation.

Senate Democrats, Republicans reach deal to reopen government

Senate Democrats, Republicans reach deal to reopen government

There are now enough Senate Democrats willing to back a revamped plan to reopen the government.  A source familiar with the newly-unveiled plan told Fox News Digital that there are enough Senate Democrats ready to join Republicans for a key vote Sunday night as Congress readies to reopen the government.  The latest development comes after an updated continuing resolution was revealed that would reopen the government until Jan. 30, 2026, reverse firings of furloughed workers carried out by the Trump administration and ensure that furloughed workers get back pay.  Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, led the bipartisan deal, but a trio of Democratic caucus members, Sens. Angus King, I-Maine, Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., proved crucial in striking a way forward.  Lawmakers are expected to take the first of a trio of votes on reopening the government later Sunday night. But it will require action from the House before the closure is officially ended.  Earlier in the day, Senate Republicans unveiled another crucial piece of the puzzle in their bid to reopen the government and plan to plow ahead with a vote on Sunday.  While both sides still appear at an impasse on extending expiring Obamacare subsidies, appropriators moved ahead with a package of spending bills that Republicans hope will jumpstart the government funding process, and lead to an end to the 40-day government shutdown.  The Senate Appropriations Committee released the three-bill spending package, known as a minibus, Sunday afternoon. Lawmakers are still waiting on text for an updated continuing resolution (CR), that, if passed, is expected to reopen the government until late January.  It includes legislation that would fund military construction and the VA, the legislative branch and agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. SENATE IN LIMBO AS THUNE EYES LONG HAUL UNTIL SHUTDOWN ENDS Senate Republicans view the package as a sweetener that they hope attracts enough Senate Democrats to break through the logjam and move toward reopening the government. And given that the minibus is a largely bipartisan product, lawmakers believe it could succeed.  Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., made clear in the last few days that he would not put a bill on the floor that did not have the votes to pass after spending several weeks daring Senate Democrats to vote against the original House-passed continuing resolution (CR).  DEMS BLOCK GOP BILL ENSURING FEDERAL WORKER, MILITARY PAYCHECKS CONTINUE DURING SHUTDOWN “There’s going to be something to vote on, let’s put it that way,” Thune said.  Still, the package does not include a deal on Senate Democrats’ chief demand throughout the government shutdown to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies.  Thune has promised Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and his caucus a vote on the expiring subsidies after the government reopens. And for several weeks, Senate Democrats said that was not enough to assuage the concerns.  Senate Democrats are expected to huddle Saturday night before a likely vote to plot a path forward. If Schumer and his caucus agree to the deal, they would effectively be caving from their deeply-entrenched position that has seen the government shutdown stretch over a month.  SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES Lawmakers will now have time to read over the bills, with a vote expected later Sunday evening.  But, it’s just the first step in what could be a long and drawn-out process. First, Thune will tee up the original House-passed CR for a vote, which lawmakers view as the vehicle to attach the minibus and updated CR to.  Then there will be two more votes before the package advances from the Senate. Then, it will have to go back to the House before making its way to President Donald Trump’s desk.  Schumer and his caucus could still apply pain on the process, too, through procedural hurdles. And despite rumblings of some in the caucus ready to break ranks, some Republicans aren’t too optimistic that this will be an easy process.  “I don’t expect anything from the Democrats,” Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said. “At this point, their demands have been so ridiculous, I don’t know what they’re going to do, and at this point, I frankly, don’t give a crap.” 

Spanberger says ‘absolutely not’ to using election wins to justify government shutdown stance

Spanberger says ‘absolutely not’ to using election wins to justify government shutdown stance

Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger did not mince words when asked if Democrats in Congress should see her election — and the success of other Democrats last Tuesday — as permission to continue the government shutdown.  “Absolutely not,” Spanberger said on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” Sunday. “Our victory was based on a campaign addressing concerns related to costs and chaos. My campaign across the past two years has been based on hearing the challenges that people are facing all across Virginia.” DEMOCRATS STRUGGLE FOR COHESIVE MESSAGING STRATEGY AMID SHUTDOWN STANDOFF “It’s the chaos coming out of Washington that has been impacting Virginians so severely,” she added. Virginia is home to over 147,000 government workers, many of whom have been unpaid since the government shutdown began. That’s the third-highest concentration of government workers in any state, according to records by the Library of Congress. Spanberger stormed to victory last week alongside fellow Democrats in New Jersey, New York City and a Democrat-led ballot measure in California. In the wake of election night, some onlookers suggested the results reflected public unrest over the government shutdown — and a tacit endorsement of the Democratic position in the gridlock.  Even President Donald Trump suggested that Republicans had underperformed because of the shutdown. “Last night was not expected to be a victory,” Trump said the morning after the election. “Very Democrat areas. I don’t think it was good for Republicans. I don’t think it was good for anybody. We had an interesting evening. The shutdown was a big factor — negative for the Republicans.”  TRUMP FLIPS HIS SHUTDOWN APPROACH, LEAVING CONGRESS TO TAKE THE HEAT Republicans and Democrats remain at odds over how to fund the government as a shutdown that began on Oct. 1 enters its 40th day. Republicans have advanced a short-term spending bill that would keep the lights on through Nov. 21, but Democrats have blocked those efforts 14 times.  Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have demanded Congress first address expiring COVID-era Obamacare subsidies before considering spending legislation. Spanberger disagreed with that approach, stating that lawmakers should focus their attention on opening the government above healthcare concerns.  OBAMA SAYS IT’S ‘LIKE EVERY DAY IS HALLOWEEN’ AS HE BLAMES REPUBLICANS FOR GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN “Virginians want to see the government open. My expectation is that we will see a Congress, a Senate and ultimately a president driving us in that direction,” Spanberger said. “The government needs to open, and it needs to open immediately.”  She called on the president to facilitate spending negotiations. “We need the president to demonstrate leadership, bringing people together, endeavoring to get through whatever negotiations need to get through whether it’s before or after,” Spanberger said. The Senate remains in session over the weekend as lawmakers look to break the gridlock. It is unclear if the Senate will vote for a 15th time on Sunday on a new short-term funding extension proposal.