Joe Manchin calls Democratic Party ‘toxic,’ blames progressives
Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., delivered a parting shot to the Democratic Party, calling his former party “toxic” as he prepares to retire from office at the end of the congressional term. Manchin, who was a lifelong Democrat before registering as an Independent earlier this year, blasted the Democratic Party in an interview with CNN’s “Inside Politics with Manu Raju” that aired on Sunday. “The D-brand has been so maligned from the standpoint of, it’s just, it’s toxic,” Manchin said, adding that he left the party because he no longer considered himself a Democrat “in the form of what Democratic Party has turned itself into.” Manchin blamed progressive lawmakers for shifting the party’s brand away from issues such as ensuring good jobs and good pay for Americans to instead focus more on sensitive social issues like transgender rights and telling Americans what they can or cannot do. MANCHIN DELIVERS EMOTIONAL FINAL FLOOR SPEECH AS WEST VIRGINIA SENATOR: ‘HONOR OF MY LIFE’ “They have basically expanded upon thinking, ‘Well, we want to protect you there, but we’re going to tell you how you should live your life from that far on,’” Manchin said of the Democratic Party. He claimed the progressives in Washington, D.C., are out of touch with Americans, stating, “This country is not going left.” But Manchin did not only criticize Democrats, pointing the finger at Republican lawmakers who he claimed are “too extreme” and lack common sense on the issue of guns. OUTGOING SEN. JOE MANCHIN PUSHES CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT FOR SUPREME COURT TERM LIMITS “I’m not going to ban you from buying it,” Manchin said of guns, “but you’re going to have to show some responsibility.” “So the Democrats go too far, want to ban,” Manchin said. “The Republican says, ‘Oh, let the good times roll. Let anybody have anything they want.’ Just some commonsense things there.” Manchin, who has often been a crucial swing vote, was known for his moderate approach and bipartisan work on national issues in the Senate. Manchin served 14 years in the Senate. His political career began as a state delegate in the early 1980s, before being elected as a state senator until the late 90s. Manchin served as Secretary of State for four years, and then was elected as governor of West Virginia in 2005. Fox News Digital’s Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.
Trump set to deliver first rally-styled speech since decisive election win: ‘Biggest conservative movement’
President-elect Trump is set to take the stage in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday to deliver his first rally-styled speech since his decisive win over Vice President Kamala Harris last month. “We are incredibly honored that President Trump will deliver his first rally-style speech since the election at AmFest 2024 in Phoenix,” Turning Point USA and Turning Point Action chief Charlie Kirk said in a press release. “This was already the largest multi-day event in the movement, and this year will be the biggest we’ve ever hosted, by far.” “When I spoke to the president, he said he’d only do it if we called it a ‘Tribute to Arizona,’ so that’s exactly what we’re doing. President Trump knows the people of Arizona have always been with him, they’re loyal to him and they just delivered the largest win for him of all of the swing states, giving him a 5.5% margin of victory.” Trump is expected to take the stage of the Phoenix Convention Center at 10:30 a.m. local time Sunday, as part of Turning Point’s annual AmericaFest – a four-day event billed as part of the “biggest conservative movement in the country.” LAWMAKERS REACT TO STOPGAP FUNDING AND AVERTING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN Trump’s address at the event comes just a day after Congress avoided a prolonged government shutdown. The Senate passed a stopgap spending bill early Saturday morning – after the midnight deadline had passed and the government briefly shut down – and sent the legislation to President Biden for his signature. PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNS STOPGAP FUNDING BILL INTO LAW, NARROWLY AVERTING SHUTDOWN Last week, lawmakers had reached an agreement on a short-term spending bill that included more than 1,500 pages of text. Conservatives and Trump allies, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, slammed the original and lengthy legislation, as negotiations came down to the wire last week, taking issue with provisions such as increasing lawmakers’ cost of living. Trump called on Republicans to suspend the debt limit as part of their talks to avert a government shutdown, which has exceeded $36 trillion. The House crafted a new, 116-page bill that included suspending the debt limit for two years until January 2027, roughly $110 billion in disaster relief aid for Americans affected by storms Milton and Helene, as well as a measure to fund rebuilding Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. WHITE HOUSE PRESSED ON BIDEN REFUSING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY AHEAD OF SHUTDOWN That bill failed 174 to 235, before House lawmakers negotiated and passed another version. TRUMP-BACKED SPENDING BILL GOES DOWN IN FLAMES AS SHUTDOWN LOOMS The final bill sent to Biden included economic relief for farmers and disaster aid for those affected by recent storms, but it did not include a suspension of the debt ceiling, which Trump had requested. Trump has not spoken publicly since the bill’s passage, although sources told Fox News that the incoming president is not that happy with the bill. Ahead of Trump’s speech on Sunday, conservative lawmakers and allies, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, upcoming Trump administration “border czar” Tom Homan, comedian Rob Schenider, and Kirk will also take the stage. AmericaFest kicked off on Dec. 19 in Phoenix and will conclude on Sunday following Trump’s speech. The annual event is billed as one that reenergizes conservative students and voters “all while celebrating the greatest country in the world.” Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind, Julia Johnson and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
The biggest Supreme Court decisions of 2024: From presidential immunity to overturning the Chevron doctrine
The U.S. Supreme Court issued several major decisions over the course of 2024. Its rulings include those that have pushed back on the Biden administration’s attempted change of Title IX protections for transgender students, reversed a 40-year precedent that had supported what conservatives have condemned as the administrative state in Washington, and considered the constitutionality of Republican-controlled state efforts to curtail what they define as liberal Silicon Valley biases online. The high court also ruled on presidential immunity at a consequential time for current President-elect Trump during the 2024 election – and sided with a Jan. 6 defendant who fought a federal obstruction charge. Here are the top cases considered by the justices over the past year. The Supreme Court on Aug. 16, 2024, kept preliminary injunctions preventing the Biden-Harris administration from implementing a new rule that widened the definition of sex discrimination under Title IX to include sexual orientation and gender identity, while litigation over the rule continues. After the Fifth and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeal denied the administration’s request to put a stay on the injunctions, the Department of Education turned to the Supreme Court, arguing that some parts of the rule should be able to take effect. The Supreme Court rejected their request. “Importantly, all Members of the Court today accept that the plaintiffs were entitled to preliminary injunctive relief as to three provisions of the rule, including the central provision that newly defines sex discrimination to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity,” the court’s unsigned opinion said, concluding that the Biden administration had not “adequately identified which particular provisions, if any, are sufficiently independent of the enjoined definitional provision and thus might be able to remain in effect.” In April, the Department of Education issued the new rule implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, arguing that expanding the definition of discrimination to include “sexual orientation and gender identity” would protect LGBTQ students. Louisiana led several states in suing the DOE, contending the new rule “violates students’ and employees’ rights to bodily privacy and safety.” Title IX implemented the long-standing athletics regulation allowing sex-separate teams decades ago, and Republicans contended Biden’s new rule would have significant implications on women- and girls-only spaces and possibly legally back biological males playing in women’s sports. Separate court injunctions blocked the rule from taking effect in 26 states. LIBERAL SUPREME COURT JUSTICE MAKES ‘CRINGE’ CAMEO PERFORMANCE ON BROADWAY “I’m grateful that the Supreme Court agreed not to block our injunction against this radical rewrite of Title IX,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement at the time. “Other than the 19th Amendment guaranteeing our right to vote, Title IX has been the most successful law in history at ensuring equal opportunity for women in education at all levels and in collegiate athletics. This fight isn’t over, but I’ll keep fighting to block this radical agenda that eviscerates Title IX.” The Supreme Court on July 1, 2024, kept on hold efforts by Texas and Florida to limit how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content in a ruling that strongly defended the platforms’ free speech rights. Writing for the court, Justice Elena Kagan said the platforms, like newspapers, deserve protection from governments’ intrusion in determining what to include or exclude from their space. “The principle does not change because the curated compilation has gone from the physical to the virtual world,” Kagan wrote in an opinion signed by five justices. All nine justices agreed on the overall outcome. The justices returned the cases to lower courts for further review in broad challenges from trade associations for the companies. While the details vary, both laws aimed to address long-standing conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right. The Florida and Texas laws were signed by Republican governors in the months following decisions by Facebook and Twitter (now X) to cut then-President Trump off over his posts related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Trade associations representing the companies sued in federal court, claiming that the laws violated the platforms’ speech rights. One federal appeals court struck down Florida’s statute while another upheld the Texas law, but both were on hold pending the outcome at the Supreme Court. In a statement made when he signed the Florida measure into law, Gov. Ron DeSantis said it would be “protection against the Silicon Valley elites.” When Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas law, he said it was needed to protect free speech in what he termed the new public square. Social media platforms “are a place for healthy public debate where information should be able to flow freely – but there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas,” Abbott said. “That is wrong, and we will not allow it in Texas.” NetChoice LLC has sued Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “The judgments are vacated, and the cases are remanded, because neither the Eleventh Circuit nor the Fifth Circuit conducted a proper analysis of the facial First Amendment challenges to Florida and Texas laws regulating large internet platforms. NetChoice’s decision to litigate these cases as facial challenges comes at a cost,” the court wrote. “The Court has made facial challenges hard to win. In the First Amendment context, a plaintiff must show that ‘a substantial number of [the law’s] applications are unconstitutional, judged in relation to the statute’s plainly legitimate sweep.’ So far in these cases, no one has paid much attention to that issue.” The court said its analysis and arguments “focused mainly on how the laws applied to the content-moderation practices that giant social-media platforms use on their best-known services to filter, alter or label their users’ posts, i.e., on how the laws applied to the likes of Facebook’s News Feed and YouTube’s homepage,” but the justices said they
US agriculture primed to be next frontier in cybersecurity in new year, experts, lawmakers say
Cybersecurity has been a major subject of discussion in recent years, with purported Chinese spy balloons floating overhead, a major Appalachian oil pipeline hacked with ransomware and questions about mysterious drones over New Jersey skies. But one overlooked area of focus in this regard is agriculture, several prominent figures have said — especially with America’s ag states primed to lend their top political leaders to Washington in the new year. Dakota State University President Jose-Marie Griffiths told Fox News Digital how important the heartland has become geopolitically, with several Dakotans gaining leadership or cabinet roles in the new year — including Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., chairing the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Cybersecurity. “I said quite a lot in the past and in [congressional] testimony about my concerns about agriculture and food production’s critical infrastructure, which came rather late to the cybersecurity critical infrastructure table,” Griffiths said. INFLATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND GLOBALISM ARE POTENTIAL DEATH SENTENCE TO US AG: FARMERS “People [will] start to realize the agricultural vehicles they’re using increasingly are autonomous and connecting to broadband [via] satellite — and other ways that these become vulnerable. And for people who wish to do us harm, they’re exploiting vulnerabilities as much as they can.” Residents across the heartland pay much more attention to the threats China and other rivals pose to the U.S. agriculture sector, she said. With advancements in technology, hackers can now find their way into harvesters, granaries and the nation’s freight-train network, Griffiths and Rounds said separately. Whether the cash crop is Pennsylvania potatoes, Florida oranges or Dakotan wheat, all are crucial to the U.S. economy and supply chain, and all can be subject to cyberthreats, Griffiths suggested. Rounds told Fox News Digital he has studied for some time the potential vulnerabilities of the American agriculture sector when it comes to foreign actors and cybersecurity. “It’s more than just the vehicles and so forth,” he said. “A lot of it has to do with the infrastructure that we rely on. A good example is your water systems; your electrical systems… All of those right now are connected and they all have cyber-points-of-entry. “And so, we have been, for an extended period of time, looking at threats that could come from overseas by adversaries that would like to infiltrate not only the water supplies, but also the electrical systems… and in some cases, sewer systems.” Rounds said he and other lawmakers have been focused on where malign actors can proverbially “shoot the arrows at us,” and figure out who they are and how to stop them. GREEN GOVERNANCE IS THE NEW GUISE FOR MERCANTILISM, WILL LEAD TO GLOBAL INSTABILITY: KEVIN ROBERTS He said the Chinese firm Huawei had been selling cheap hardware to rural telecom entities and could be able to infiltrate communications systems. “Once we found out that that was in there… that they could be putting in latent materials that could be activated at a later date, we’ve gotten most of them pulled out. But that’s just one example of the ways in which rural areas can be a way into the rest of our communication systems,” he said. Rounds said drones are becoming increasingly used in agriculture, and they, too, have the danger of being hacked. Vehicles like harvesters and tractors have also greatly advanced technologically in the near term and face similar challenges. “A lot of that right now is done with GPS. You get into your tractor, you plug it in and basically it’ll drive it for you. We leave people in those tractors, but at some stage of the game, some of those might very well become autonomous as well — and they’re subject to cyber-intervention…” he said. Grain elevators also can be interfered with, which stymies marketing and transportation, and endangers the greater supply chain and the ability for a farmer to sell on the open market, Rounds said. Asked if he preferred today’s agriculture sector to the era before automation, Rounds said it’s not about what he thinks, but what is going to happen in the future. “We will have more and more autonomous vehicles being used in farming. And the reason is we don’t have the manpower — and we replace it with machinery. The machinery is going to get bigger. It’s going to become more sophisticated, and we’re going to be expected to do more things with fewer people actually operating them.,” he said. “The supply chain is so critical. We rely on autonomy in many cases for a lot of the delivery of our resources, both to the farmer, but also back out from the farmer in terms of a commodity that he wants to market.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP If that new technologically-advanced system malfunctions or is hacked, it will greatly disrupt the ability to provide the raw materials to the people and companies “actually making the bread” and such. Amit Yoran, CEO of exposure management firm Tenable, recently testified before the House Homeland Security Committee and spoke at length about cyber threats to critical U.S. infrastructure. Asked about cybersecurity in the agriculture realm, Yoran told Fox News Digital recently that there is “no singular defense paradigm that could effectively be applied across all sectors.” “Some critical infrastructure providers have a high degree of cybersecurity preparedness, strong risk understanding and risk management practices, and very strong security programs. Others are woefully ill-prepared,” said Yoran, whose company is based in Howard County, Maryland.
Lara Trump removes herself from consideration for Marco Rubio’s U.S. Senate seat
Lara Trump, President-elect Trump’s daughter-in-law, said Saturday she is removing herself from consideration for Florida Republican Marco Rubio’s seat in the U.S. Senate. “After an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many, I have decided to remove my name from consideration for the United States Senate,” she wrote on X Saturday. The president-elect has nominated Rubio to be secretary of state. “I could not have been more honored to serve as RNC co-chair during the most high-stakes election of our lifetime and I’m truly humbled by the unbelievable support shown to me by the people of our country, and here in the great state of Florida,” Lara Trump added. TRUMP SAYS HE DOESN’T EXPECT DESANTIS TO NAME DAUGHTER-IN-LAW LARA TRUMP AS RUBIO’S SENATE REPLACEMENT Trump, the wife of Eric Trump, the president-elect’s son, stepped down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee earlier this month. ” I have read so many of your kind messages and I cannot thank you enough,” Lara Trump said, adding she has a “big announcement that I’m excited to share in January.” She said she remains “incredibly passionate about public service and (looks) forward to serving our country again sometime in the future. In the meantime, I wish Governor DeSantis the best of luck with this appointment.” The president-elect had previously pressed DeSantis to name Lara as Rubio’s replacement, a source in his political orbit told Fox News Digital, but he later told reporters he didn’t necessarily expect him to select her. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS REPORTING ON THE TRUMP TRANSITION “That’s his choice,” the president-elect added. Rubio’s senate replacement will be appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and will serve the remaining two years of Rubio’s term. In 2026, the seat will be open for a full six-year term. Lara Trump had previously said she was “seriously considering” the position, although she wasn’t sure it was right for her. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP DeSantis previously said he would make an appointment by early January. Lara Trump did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Rockin’ around the congressional Christmas tree
“Rockin’ around the Christmas treeAt the Christmas party hop” – Brenda Lee It’s a yuletide tradition on Capitol Hill. An annual custom of rockin’ around a congressional Christmas tree, festooned with hundreds of legislative ornaments, Advent appropriations and mistletoe modifications. A political Polar Express chugs through the halls of Congress nearly every December. It’s always the last piece of legislation huffing out of the congressional station. WHAT TO EXPECT AS REPUBLICANS TRY TO SALVAGE SPENDING PACKAGE, AVOID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN “All aboard!” hollers the conductor. Get your Noel needs loaded into the baggage car of this train, or it’s going to be left behind. So, lawmakers decorated their “Christmas tree” in the only way they know how. That resulted a few days ago in the colossal 1,547-page interim spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. The sheer scope of the bill was breathtaking. You want a hippopotamus for Christmas? You surely would have gotten it with this plan. It wasn’t long until House Republicans pulverized the legislation. “It’s another cram down,” fumed Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, the morning after congressional leaders released the bill. “Here’s what you get. ‘Do this or shut the government down.’ So, it’s very disappointing.” Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., didn’t gift wrap his criticism. “It’s a total dumpster fire. I think it’s garbage,” decreed Burlison. “It’s shameful that people celebrate DOGE coming, and yet we’re going to vote for another billion dollars to be added to the deficit. It’s ironic.” Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., mocked his colleagues for talking out of both sides of their mouths when it came to spending. “We keep on saying we want to take the deficit and the debt seriously. But we keep on voting to increase it. You can’t have it both ways,” he said. “This is irresponsible.” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, lamented this was business as usual. “I mean, the swamp is going to swamp, right?” proffered Roy. THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INTERIM SPENDING BILL House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the following in the fall: “We have broken the Christmas omni. I have no intention of going back to that terrible tradition. There won’t be a Christmas omnibus,” Johnson declared Sept. 24. “We won’t do any ‘buses.’” So, yours truly pressed Johnson about his promise after frustrated Republicans upbraided him during a House GOP Conference meeting. “You said back in September there would be no more Christmas omnibuses. You were not doing anymore ‘buses,’” I asked. “But how is this not yet another Christmas tree at the holidays?” “Well, it’s not a Christmas tree. It’s not an omnibus,” responded Johnson. Johnson is technically right. In appropriations parlance, it’s not a true omnibus — even though outside observers and many lawmakers themselves might colloquially refer to the massive bill as an “omnibus.” An omnibus is where Congress gift wraps all 12 individual spending measures into one package. A “minibus” is where a handful of bills are bundled together. Even so, I reminded Johnson of the opprobrium directed at this legislation. “They called this cram down. They said it was garbage. Those are your own members calling it that,” I noted. “Well, they haven’t even seen it yet,” said Johnson, even though the bill materialized the night before. “I’ve got a couple of friends who will say that about any end-of-year funding measure. This is not an omnibus, OK? This is a small CR (continuing resolution) that we’ve had to add things to that were out of our control.” The legislation was stocked with a hefty price tag to cover the entire cost of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. A radioactive pay raise for lawmakers. Health care provisions. Language about concert ticket prices. Emergency aid for farmers. And $110 billion to help cover devastation from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. “It was intended to be, and it was until recent days, a very simple, very clean CR stopgap funding measure to get us into next year when we have a unified government,” said Johnson. “But a couple of intervening things have occurred. We had, as we say, acts of God. We had these massive hurricanes.” But then Elon Musk torched the bill. President-elect Trump demanded an immediate debt ceiling increase. Debt limit deals are one of the most complex and contentious issues in Congress. They require weeks if not months of painstaking negotiations. HOUSE GOP LEADERS SCRAMBLE FOR PLAN B AFTER TRUMP, MUSK LEAD CONSERVATIVE FURY AGAINST SPENDING BILL This wasn’t as simple as presenting Santa at the mall a wish list of items for Christmas morning. The bill began bleeding support just hours before the House planned a vote. But to paraphrase Charles Dickens’ opening line in “A Christmas Carol” about Jacob Marley, “That bill was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever, about that.” Democrats were flabbergasted at outside last-minute ultimatums. Especially since Johnson attended the Army-Navy football game last week with Trump. How could they not have discussed the contours of this bill? “It was blown up by Elon Musk, who apparently has become the fourth branch of government,” Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., scoffed about the bill. “So, who is our leader, (House Minority Leader) Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., supposed to negotiate with? Is it Mike Johnson? Is he the speaker of the House? Or is it Donald Trump? Or is it Elon Musk. Or is it somebody else?” Johnson and company then prepped a svelte 116-page bill to fund the government. But bipartisan lawmakers roasted that measure faster than chestnuts by an open fire. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., mocked Republicans for insisting that they adhere to their internal “three-day rule.” That allows lawmakers to ponder bills for three days before a vote. Yet Republicans were now racing the new bill to the floor faster than shoppers rushing home with their treasures. “Have you printed it? How many pages is it? What happened to the 72-hour rule?” mocked Moskowitz. The bill plummeted to an embarrassing defeat on the House floor.
Trump nominates TV producer, creator of ‘The Apprentice,’ to serve in new administration
President-elect Trump announced Saturday he has tapped the creator of “The Apprentice” to serve a diplomatic role in the United Kingdom. In a Truth Social post, Trump named Mark Burnett, a British-American TV producer who was born in London, as the next U.S. special envoy to the United Kingdom. “It is my great honor to appoint Mark Burnett as the Special Envoy to the United Kingdom,” the president-elect said. “With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role.” In addition to creating Trump’s former show “The Apprentice,” Burnett also created “Shark Tank” and led production of other programs such as “Survivor” and “The Martha Stewart Show.” In his Truth Social post, Trump said the producer had created some of the “biggest shows in Television History” and touted his achievements. TRUMP NOMINATES PAIR TO HELP LEAD DOJ, ANNOUNCES FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION PICK “He is the former Chairman of MGM, and has won 13 Emmy Awards!” the Republican wrote. “Mark will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges. Congratulations Mark!” No one is currently serving as a U.S. special envoy to the United Kingdom. Special envoy roles are typically temporary in nature and meant to fulfill a specific mission, though Trump did not specify the purpose of the role in his announcement. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? Earlier in December, Trump tapped Warren A. Stephens to serve as the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James, also known as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. “Over the last 38 years, while serving as the president, chairman, and CEO of his company, Stephens Inc., Warren has built a wonderful financial services firm, while selflessly giving back to his community as a philanthropist,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “Warren has always dreamed of serving the United States full-time. I am thrilled that he will now have that opportunity as the top Diplomat, representing the U.S.A. to one of America’s most cherished and beloved Allies.” Burnett did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
Lawmakers react to stopgap funding and averting government shutdown
As the dust settles on Congress frantically passing a stopgap bill at the eleventh hour to avoid a government shutdown, lawmakers are having their say on a chaotic week on Capitol Hill. President Biden signed the 118-page bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding into March, the White House announced. The bill provides over $100 billion in disaster aid for those affected by storms Helene and Milton in the U.S. Southeast earlier this year. It also includes a $10 billion provision for economic assistance to farmers. President Biden has not yet publicly commented on the passage of the legislation, nor has President-elect Trump, although sources tell Fox that the incoming president is not that happy about the bill, because it does not suspend the debt ceiling. PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNS STOPGAP FUNDING BILL INTO LAW, NARROWLY AVERTING SHUTDOWN House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who faced criticism from both Republicans and Democrats for his handling of the negotiations, said after the House vote that the result was “a good outcome for the country.” He said he had spoken with Trump and that the president-elect “was certainly happy about this outcome, as well.” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., considered the legislation a win for his party. “The House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy and hurting working-class Americans all across the nation,” Jeffries said, referring to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., praised Democrats, including Jeffries and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., for “their unity and courage withstanding the Trump-Musk irresponsibility.” “Democrats will always fight to protect the needs of America’s working families, veterans, seniors, farmers and first responders against the GOP’s agenda for billionaires and special interests.” A bulging 1,547-page continuing resolution was thrown into disarray earlier in the week following objections by Elon Musk and President-elect Trump. A slimmed-down version was then rejected by House members on Thursday before the House approved Speaker Mike Johnson’s new bill overwhelmingly on Friday by 366 votes to 34. The Senate worked into early Saturday morning to pass the bill 85-11, just after the deadline. WHITE HOUSE PRESSED ON BIDEN REFUSING TO SPEAK PUBLICLY AHEAD OF SHUTDOWN Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the passage of the funding legislation early Saturday. “There will be no government shutdown right before Christmas,” Schumer wrote on X. “We will keep the government open with a bipartisan bill that funds the government, helps Americans affected by hurricanes and natural disasters, helps our farmers and avoids harmful cuts.” Meanwhile, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., said the revised funding package keeps government funded at current levels, delivers aid to Americans suffering from natural disasters and protects agricultural supply chains. “Not only is this straightforward bill much more palatable to me, but it respects the taxpayers we represent, unlike the previous backroom boondoggle I opposed that was over 1,500 pages long and gave unnecessary and costly giveaways to the Democrats,” Malliotakis wrote on X. “Passing this legislation today gives us what we need until President Trump is sworn in and settled so our Republican trifecta can deliver the results the American people voted for.” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., questioned why President Biden appeared to play a limited role in negotiations. “People fail to recognize that even though the focus has been on President Trump, Joe Biden is actually still the president, which is really mind-boggling, because nobody’s heard from him in weeks,” Lawler told Fox and Friends Weekend on Saturday, adding that the debt ceiling has been used as a “political piñata for decades.” “The party in the minority uses it as leverage in a negotiation, and I think what President Trump is trying to avoid is giving Democrats a loaded gun to hold to his head here.” Elsewhere, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., applauded the Senate for approving the D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act, which he had introduced and helped pass in the House. The bill would give the District of Columbia control of the 174-acre RFK campus and revive potential plans for a new Washington Commanders stadium. The surprising move came after a provision in the initial continuing resolution (CR) — to transfer control of the RFK campus from the federal government to the District — was eliminated from Thursday’s slimmed down version of the bill. “The Senate’s passage of the D.C. RFK Stadium Campus Revitalization Act is a historic moment for our nation’s capital. If Congress failed to act today, this decaying land in Washington would continue to cost taxpayers a fortune to maintain,” Comer said. “Revitalizing this RFK Memorial Stadium site has been a top economic priority for the city, and I am proud to have partnered with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to get this bill across the finish line and to the President’s desk. This bipartisan success is a testament to the House Oversight Committee’s unwavering effort to protect taxpayers and our full commitment to ensuring a capital that is prosperous for residents and visitors for generations to come,” he added. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Trump announces newest nominations to lead DOJ, regulate US railroads
President-elect Trump dropped his latest round of nominations Saturday afternoon, including two picks to help lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) and one to work within the Department of Transportation (DOT). In a Truth Social post, the president-elect announced he was nominating Aaron Reitz to lead the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy. Trump wrote that Reitz would “develop and implement DOJ’s battle plans to advance my Law and Order Agenda, and restore integrity to our Justice System. “Aaron is currently Senator Ted Cruz’s Chief of Staff, and was previously Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Deputy, where he led dozens of successful lawsuits against the lawless and crooked Biden Administration,” Trump continued, adding Reitz would work closely with Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi. “Aaron is a true MAGA attorney, a warrior for our Constitution, and will do an outstanding job at DOJ. Congratulations Aaron!” TIDE TURNS FOR HEGSETH AS TRUMP’S DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE GOES ON OFFENSE Trump followed up his first announcement by naming Chad Mizelle as the next chief of staff at the DOJ, who is also slated to work with Bondi. “During my First Term, Chad was General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security, where he helped to secure our Border, and stop the flow of illegal drugs and aliens into our Country,” the Republican leader explained. “Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will help bring accountability, integrity, and Justice back to the DOJ.” GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? In a third post, Trump named David Fink as the next administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), describing his nominee as a “fifth generation Railroader.” “David will bring his 45+ years of transportation leadership and success, which will deliver the FRA into a new era of safety and technological innovation,” Trump said. “Under David’s guidance, the Federal Railroad Administration will be GREAT again. Congratulations to David!” Later on Saturday, Trump announced that he was nominating Tilman J. Fertitta, the owner of the Houston Rockets, to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Italy. “Tilman is an accomplished businessman, who has founded and built one of our Country’s premier entertainment and real estate companies, employing approximately 50,000 Americans,” Trump’s post described. “Tilman has a long history of giving back to the community through numerous philanthropic initiatives, which include children’s charities, Law Enforcement, and the medical community.”
Trump nominates pair to help lead DOJ, announces Federal Railroad Administration pick
President-elect Trump dropped his latest round of nominations Saturday afternoon, naming two picks to help lead the Department of Justice (DOJ) and one to work within the Department of Transportation (DOT). In a Truth Social post, the president-elect announced he was nominating Aaron Reitz to lead the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy. Trump wrote that Reitz would “develop and implement DOJ’s battle plans to advance my Law and Order Agenda, and restore integrity to our Justice System. “Aaron is currently Senator Ted Cruz’s Chief of Staff, and was previously Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Deputy, where he led dozens of successful lawsuits against the lawless and crooked Biden Administration,” Trump continued, adding Reitz would work closely with Trump’s pick for U.S. attorney general, Pam Bondi. “Aaron is a true MAGA attorney, a warrior for our Constitution, and will do an outstanding job at DOJ. Congratulations Aaron!” TIDE TURNS FOR HEGSETH AS TRUMP’S DEFENSE SECRETARY NOMINEE GOES ON OFFENSE Trump followed up his first announcement by naming Chad Mizelle as the next chief of staff at the DOJ, who is also slated to work with Bondi. “During my First Term, Chad was General Counsel and Chief of Staff at the Department of Homeland Security, where he helped to secure our Border, and stop the flow of illegal drugs and aliens into our Country,” the Republican leader explained. GET TO KNOW DONALD TRUMP’S CABINET: WHO HAS THE PRESIDENT-ELECT PICKED SO FAR? “Chad is a MAGA warrior, who will help bring accountability, integrity, and Justice back to the DOJ.” In a third post, Trump named David Fink as the next administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), describing his nominee as a “fifth generation Railroader.” “David will bring his 45+ years of transportation leadership and success, which will deliver the FRA into a new era of safety and technological innovation,” Trump said. “Under David’s guidance, the Federal Railroad Administration will be GREAT again. Congratulations to David!”