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
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.
Final hurdles cleared to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia, Trump admin says
President Donald Trump‘s administration called on a federal judge to approve the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Liberia on Friday, arguing all legal hurdles had been cleared. The Friday filing is the latest in the administration’s efforts to deport Abrego Garcia a second time following his return from El Salvador earlier this year. The Justice Department called on U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis to clear the deportation, saying Abrego Garcia had failed to establish that he would face persecution in Liberia. “Petitioner’s claims are procedurally barred multiple times over and fail on the merits in any event,” the DOJ argued. “This Court should therefore dissolve its preliminary injunction and permit the government to remove Petitioner to Liberia.” Attorneys for the U.S. also said Liberia has made “sufficient and credible” arguments that Abrego Garcia will not face harm. DHS TO SOON DEPORT ABREGO GARCIA TO AFRICAN NATION AFTER ILLEGAL ALIEN’S RETURN FROM EL SALVADOR, FILING SAYS Nevertheless, lawyers for Abrego Garcia argue that he has not received sufficient due process to justify his deportation. “The Government insists that the unreasoned determination of a single immigration officer—who concluded that Abrego Garcia failed to establish that it is ‘more likely than not’ that he will be persecuted or tortured in Liberia— satisfies due process. It does not,” his attorneys wrote in their own Friday filing. His attorneys further argue that Abrego Garcia is the victim of retaliatory prosecution, noting that Costa Rica has already offered to accept his deportation flight on a refugee status. The U.S. said it would not send him to Costa Rica unless he agreed to plead guilty to human trafficking charges. ABREGO GARCIA RELEASED FROM JAIL, WILL RETURN TO MARYLAND TO AWAIT TRIAL “The timeline suggests a pattern: when the Government received orders it disliked in Abrego Garcia’s civil case challenging his unlawful removal to El Salvador; it initiated a criminal prosecution in retaliation; and when it received orders it disliked in Abrego Garcia’s criminal case, it initiated third-country removal efforts in retaliation,” the attorneys argued. Earlier in the case, Abrego Garcia’s attorneys cited more than 20 countries he allegedly fears would persecute or torture him if he were removed there. Liberia was not among those listed. “Liberia is a thriving democracy and one of the United States’ closest partners on the African continent,” the DOJ argued in October.
Iran smuggled $1B to Hezbollah this year despite US sanctions, Treasury official says
The Iranian regime has managed to smuggle at least $1 billion to its terrorist proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon despite heavy sanctions this year, top officials at the U.S. Treasury Department say. John Hurley, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, says Iran remains committed to its proxy groups throughout the Middle East. Nevertheless, he says there is an opportunity to cut off the funding streams while Iran is in its current weakened state. “There’s a moment in Lebanon now. If we could get Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese people could get their country back,” Hurley said. “Even with everything Iran has been through, even with the economy not in great shape, they’re still pumping a lot of money to their terrorist proxies,” he continued. TRUMP ADMIN PRESSURES LEBANON TO DISARM HEZBOLLAH AS ENVOY CALLS NATION ‘FAILED STATE’ “The key to that is to drive out the Iranian influence and control; that starts with all the money that they are pumping into Hezbollah,” he argued. Hurley pushed for the increased pressure campaign during a tour of Turkey, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Israel this weekend. Western nations have already laid down heavy sanctions on Tehran over its unwillingness to negotiate a nuclear deal. The regime insists its nuclear development program exists solely for civilian purposes. US ENVOY NEARS LEBANON-ISRAEL CEASEFIRE THAT WOULD DISARM HEZBOLLAH TERROR GROUP President Donald Trump ordered bombings on Iran’s key nuclear sites earlier this year in Operation Midnight Hammer, which U.S. officials say succeeded in crippling Tehran’s progress toward a bomb. Iran has nevertheless continued its efforts to spread chaos across the globe. U.S. officials say they, along with Israel and Mexico, thwarted an Iran-backed attempt to assassinate Israel’s ambassador to Mexico earlier this year. “We thank the security and law enforcement services in Mexico for thwarting a terrorist network directed by Iran that sought to attack Israel’s ambassador in Mexico,” Israel’s foreign ministry told Fox News on Friday. “The Israeli security and intelligence community will continue to work tirelessly, in full cooperation with security and intelligence agencies around the world, to thwart terrorist threats from Iran and its proxies against Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide.” A U.S. official told Reuters the plot targeting ambassador Einat Kranz Neiger “was contained and does not pose a current threat.” Fox News’ Greg Norman and Reuters contributed to this report.
‘Genocide can’t be ignored’: GOP lawmaker backs Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria
Republican Rep. Riley Moore said the United States could take a range of actions – including sanctions and “even kinetic military action” – in response to what he called the “genocide” of Christians in Nigeria. Trump designated Moore, a member of the Appropriations Committee from West Virginia, along with Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., to lead an investigation into the killing of Christians by Islamist militants in the African nation. Frustrations with the matter boiled out into the open when Trump this week designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern and ordered the Pentagon to prepare to intervene militarily. In a video on Truth Social this week, Trump threatened to “do things to Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about” and “go into that now-disgraced country guns-a-blazing.” I WAS KIDNAPPED BY BOKO HARAM, AND SURVIVED. NO THANKS TO THE WEST’S SILENCE Moore told Fox News Digital the designation unlocks “15 different levers” the administration can use against Nigeria, including halting arms sales, freezing aid and sanctioning officials or institutions accused of ignoring or enabling religious killings. “All options are on the table here for this, even kinetic military action,” Moore said. “That could mean targeted, strategic counterterrorism strikes to get rid of some of the top leadership if that’s what it takes to stop the killing.” “We’ve been providing security assistance to this country since at least 2009 – billions of dollars worth of arm sales, training and equipment that they’ve received. And it’s a question of prioritization in what’s important to them. And clearly this has not been one of the most important things.” The West Virginia Republican said he has been working with the House Appropriations Committee and the State Department to identify what he called “legislative levers” that could support the administration’s response. Moore said he’s also consulting with NGOs and Christian organizations “on the ground” in Nigeria to document the scale of the violence. CRUZ CLASHES WITH NIGERIA OVER HIS CLAIMS 50,000 CHRISTIANS KILLED SINCE 2009 IN RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE He described the attacks as a “genocide,” claiming Christians are being killed at a rate of five to one compared with non-Christians. Moore accused Nigeria’s government of “looking the other way” despite receiving billions in U.S. security aid since 2009. “They’re not taking this seriously,” he said. “We had a pastor warn the government about an impending attack – they called it fake news. Within 24 hours, that pastor and 20 of his congregants were murdered.” The Nigerian government denies a genocide is taking place. “Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality. Terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology – Muslims, Christians, and those of no faith alike,” the office of the presidency wrote on X. Moore said he and Cole plan to meet with Nigerian officials in Washington this month as part of the investigation, and may even send delegations to the nation. He added that the U.S. could still work with Nigeria’s government if it shows a willingness to confront extremist groups. BOKO HARAM KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR PRAISES TRUMP AS HE WEIGHS ‘VICIOUS’ MILITARY ACTION IN NIGERIA “It’s not all sticks here – there are some carrots in this,” Moore said. “If they’re willing to work with us, this could actually lead to a stronger relationship between our countries.” With a population of more than 230 million, Nigeria’s vibrant and often turbulent cities and villages are home to people of strikingly diverse backgrounds. The country’s more than 500 languages and mix of Islam, Christianity and traditional indigenous faiths have long been marred by tension. Nigeria’s faith communities remain sharply divided, with Muslims dominating the northern regions and Christians concentrated in the south. I’M A CHRISTIAN FROM NIGER. DON’T IGNORE HORRIFYING ATTACKS ON AFRICAN CHRISTIANS Christianity took firm root in the 19th century, when freed slaves educated in Sierra Leone returned home as teachers and missionaries – establishing schools, churches and early congregations that continue to shape southern Nigeria’s identity today. Despite vast oil and mineral wealth, decades of corruption and mismanagement have left much of the nation impoverished. Nigeria’s growing cache of lithium, cobalt, nickel and other rare minerals has drawn quiet U.S. attention as Washington looks to counter China’s dominance in Africa’s critical-minerals market. The Commerce Department and U.S. International Development Finance Corp. have eyed investment opportunities in Nigeria’s nascent lithium industry, but persistent insecurity in mining regions threatens Western access and future development. For over a decade, Nigeria’s Christians fleeing the nation’s northern half have been subject to the violence of Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group known for its terrorist spectacles. Churches and homes have been burned, with communities vanishing in the group’s night raids. Numbers are difficult to verify, but the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law reports at least 52,000 Christians have been killed, some 18,500 abducted and unlikely to have survived, and 20,000 churches and Christian schools attacked between 2009 and 2023. In 2014, Boko Haram famously kidnapped and enslaved 276 teenage girls in a raid on a high school dormitory. The group regularly arms children as suicide bombers and holds slave markets in captured territories. But a direct U.S. military campaign would prove difficult with current U.S. assets in the nation and is unlikely, one defense official told Fox News Digital. The United States currently has no permanent military base in Nigeria, though small teams of U.S. advisors and special operations trainers work periodically with Nigerian forces under U.S. Africa Command programs. Washington approved about $600 million in security aid to Nigeria over the past decade, mostly focused on counterterrorism in the northeast.
Vance fires up Marines on military branch’s 250th birthday: ‘Kick the enemy’s a– and come home safe’
Vice President JD Vance took the stage at the Marine Corps’ 250th Birthday Ball in Washington, D.C., on Saurday, greeting a crowd of Marines in dress blues with a booming, “How we doing, Marines?” He grinned as the ballroom erupted in cheers. “It’s so great to be here to celebrate 250 years of the United States Marine Corps,” he said, drawing loud applause. “That, my friends, is what the Marine Corps does — it keeps us honest.” The address marked the start of Veterans Day weekend and underscored the White House’s emphasis on military strength and service. VANCE ISSUES MIDTERM WARNING, SAYS DEMOCRATS’ ANGER COULD DRIVE 2026 TURNOUT The vice president — himself a proud Marine veteran — earned a standing ovation when he reminded the crowd that he was “the very first vice president of the United States to have been a United States Marine.” Vance reflected on joining the Marines as a 19-year-old recruit on the yellow footprints of Parris Island, South Carolina. “The Marine Corps has kept me honest,” he said. “It gave me great training, it gave me a sense of purpose, and it gave me lifelong friends.” He credited those lessons with shaping his life long after service. “The Marine Corps has done more for me than I can possibly repay,” he said. “But the thing that I promise, so long as I have the honor of being your vice president, is that I will continue to honor the United States Marine Corps.” VP VANCE’S CAMP ACCUSES CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM OF DISSEMINATING ‘FAKE NEWS’ AHEAD OF MARINES CELEBRATION In a moment that drew lots of laughs, Vance told the story of meeting a 99-year-old Iwo Jima veteran earlier in the evening. The Marine had teased him about his beard, and Vance said, “I’m the Vice President of the United States, and this guy is busting my b–ls for having a beard.” He laughed and added, “That, my friends, is what the Marine Corps does — it keeps us honest.” Throughout his remarks, Vance paid tribute to Marines of every generation, “from the young to the old, from the lance corporals born in 2006 to the veterans of Iwo Jima.” He told the audience he was “proud” of each Marine and vowed, “We’re going to keep on winning America’s wars for the next 250 years.” Vance also promised in a moment of resolve that America’s leaders would never again send troops into harm’s way without clarity of mission and support for those in the field. ‘FIRST TO FIGHT’: MARINE VP JD VANCE MARKS CORPS’ 250TH AS HEGSETH SAYS UNITY, NOT ‘DIVERSITY,’ IS STRENGTH “When we send you off to fight our nation’s battles, we will do it with full confidence,” he said. “We will give you the knowledge and the tools you need to win, and we will make it clear that your job is to kick the enemy’s a– and come home safely.” Vance celebrated the Corps’ relevance in the age of advanced technology. “Let’s be honest,” he said, “the battlefield has changed in an incredible and profound way… but I happen to believe that the most important war-fighting technology is not artificial intelligence or anything on a computer. The most important war-fighting technology is a well-trained and well-armed United States Marine.” As the crowd rose for a final toast, Vance took a moment of reflection. “The Marine Corps has done a lot for me,” he said. “It’s done more for me than I can possibly repay.” Then, raising his glass, he closed: “I will fight every single day to make sure that the next 250 years are just as damn proud as the first 250. Happy Birthday, Marines.” The ballroom answered with thunderous applause and a sea of raised glasses.
Senate could take test vote on new spending bill as early as Sunday afternoon
The Senate could take a test vote as early as tomorrow afternoon on a revamped Republican bill to end the government shutdown and fund parts of the government for the rest of the fiscal year. We are still waiting on bill text on a measure that would fund the government through late January and provide money for the Agriculture Department (which funds SNAP), the Veterans Affairs Department and military construction projects and Congress through Sept. 30, 2026. But things will begin moving once text is posted tonight or tomorrow morning. This appears to be a pure spending bill with nothing separate for renewing Obamacare subsidies. SENATE IN LIMBO AS THUNE EYES LONG HAUL UNTIL SHUTDOWN ENDS The test vote needs 60 yeas. That entails Democratic buy-in. Fox is told to watch the following Democratic senators to see if they will vote to break a filibuster, although they might not be needed to vote for the final bill. Only a simple majority is needed there. Fox is told this is the universe of potential senators who caucus with the Democrats to watch as possible yeas to break a filibuster: Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill; and senators Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.; John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.; Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Angus King, I-Maine; and Patty Murray, D-Wash. Murray is the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Fox is told that Murray scored some significant language in the tenuous spending pact. This is a fragile coalition and could fall apart. But if the Senate breaks the filibuster, it is just a matter of time before the senators vote to reopen the government. In fact, it’s possible that the Senate could vote Sunday night if senators can forge a time agreement. DEMS BLOCK GOP BILL ENSURING FEDERAL WORKER, MILITARY PAYCHECKS CONTINUE DURING SHUTDOWN By the book, the Senate is afforded significant debate time once it breaks a filibuster. Fox is told that progressives, steamed that they scored nothing on health care and burned by their own party, could try to stretch things out as much as possible. That could mean the Senate doesn’t vote until Tuesday or beyond on final passage. But, by the same token, Democrats are only preventing SNAP benefits from going out. So, they could agree to an expedited process. The House is on 48 hours notice to return. So, the House may not return until midweek to align with the Senate and reopen the government. But it’s likely the House could be recalled as soon as possible. The House’s disposition is unclear on this legislation. However, it’s hard to believe that most Republicans wouldn’t take this deal. In addition, Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.; Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.; and Jared Golden, D-Maine, are among moderate Democrats who may be in play to vote yes if the GOP loses a few votes. Golden was the lone House Democrat who voted for the old interim spending bill on Sept. 19. Golden has since announced his retirement. Here’s another question: ‘TWISTED IRONY’: DEMOCRATS RISK BETRAYING THEIR OWN PET ISSUES WITH GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN GAMBLE Would the House swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., before or after the vote? Democrats will bray if Johnson fails to swear in Grijalva before a possible House vote. And, as we say, it’s always about the math. Swearing in Grijalva puts the House at 433 members with two vacancies. The breakdown is 219 Republicans to 214 Democrats. That means the GOP can only lose two votes before needing help from the Democrats. In addition, brace for the internecine Democratic warfare which will start once Democrats break with their party. Big divisions will emerge between those Democrats who vote to break the filibuster and those holding out for Obamacare subsidies. Moreover, consider the emerging chasm between House and Senate Democrats once this is over. And, here’s the kicker: It’s entirely possible that a group of Senate Democrats threw their colleagues under the bus to end the shutdown, and the party scored no guarantees on healthcare money despite their risky political shutdown gambit.
Reckoning looms for politicians as longest government shutdown persists
A reckoning is coming. Or shall we say “reckonings.” And they’re coming, whether the government reopens soon or remains shuttered. If the government stays closed, voters will likely torch both parties for not hammering out a deal. Air traffic delays are stacking up. Those problems only intensify as we near Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s to say nothing of multiple missed paychecks for federal employees, stress, economic consequences and no SNAP benefits for the needy. SCHUMER, DEMS UNVEIL ALTERNATIVE SHUTDOWN PLAN, ASK FOR ONE-YEAR EXTENSION TO OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES Some of those concerns will dissipate if lawmakers address the shutdown quickly. But there will be a reckoning if the shutdown drags deeper into November. There are likely specific reckonings for both political parties. For Republicans, it’s a resistance by GOP leaders to address spiking healthcare subsidies. Yes. The GOP is making a compelling argument that healthcare subsidies are only necessary because Obamacare is a problem and health care prices skyrocketed. So, Republicans are back fighting against Obamacare. In fact, the entire government shutdown is not about spending levels and appropriations. It’s a re-litigation of the touchstone law passed under President Obama in 2010. And Republicans, despite multiple campaign promises and dozens of efforts to kill the law over a six-year period, failed at nearly every turn. Despite issues with Obamacare, Democrats annexed the public’s concern about healthcare costs and linked that to government funding. Democrats appear like the party trying to address the issue as premiums spike. And Republicans, despite promises that they’ll get to it, are inert on the subject. They’re even championing efforts to lambaste Obamacare — much the same as they did in 2010 when Congress passed the law. Republicans are latched on to the concept that the subsidies are “pumping money to insurance companies,” as Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., put it on Fox. Lankford also characterized those who benefited from Obamacare as a “select group.” It works out to about 24 million people. That’s 7% of the U.S. population. So, maybe that burns the GOP politically. Maybe it doesn’t. A major reckoning looms for the Democrats, too. It’s possible that a coalition of Democratic senators may break with the Democratic Party and support a new GOP plan to reopen the government on a temporary basis. Nowhere is it written that Democrats — who made the shutdown about health care — are guaranteed an outcome on Obamacare subsidies. Yes, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., have said they’ll address the health care issue after the government is open. But that’s not necessarily a fix. TRUMP URGES SENATE REPUBLICANS TO REDIRECT FUNDS FROM OBAMACARE-BACKED INSURERS, PAY AMERICANS DIRECTLY So Democrats are fuming. Therefore, it’s a distinct possibility that Democrats will refuse to fund the government in an effort to extract a concession on Obamacare subsidies and walk away empty-handed. Such an outcome will spark an internecine firestorm inside the Democratic Party. Progressives felt that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., rolled them back in March when he and a squadron of other Democrats helped the GOP crack a filibuster to avoid a shutdown. It’s doubtful that Schumer will help this time. But Senate Republicans hope to coax just enough Democrats to overcome the filibuster on a pending test vote and then fund the government through late January. That’s the reckoning for the Democrats. No outcome on health care. And getting the screws put to them by members of their own party. Again. Progressives will be apoplectic. And House Democrats will seethe — not so privately — at Senate Democrats. The Senate’s test vote on the new GOP proposal could come as early as Sunday evening. The revised package would also fund the Department of Agriculture and Department of Veterans Affairs, plus Congress until Sept. 30, 2026. Fox is told Republicans believe they are in range of persuading Democrats who are sweating the shutdown to join them. Fox is told that air traffic control and flight delays are contributing to the Democrats’ consternation. That said, it is believed that the Senate GOP leadership is reluctant to force a vote related to the retooled, spending bill without a guarantee it could break a filibuster. The last thing the Senate needs is another failed procedural vote after repeated failed test votes over the past six weeks. REPUBLICANS TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO BASHING OBAMACARE AS SHUTDOWN ENTERS DAY 39 Let’s game out the timing for a moment: By the book, if the Senate breaks the filibuster late Sunday, it’s doubtful the chamber can take a final vote on the package until Monday or Tuesday. But Fox is told there is a distinct possibility that Democrats could yield back time to expedite the process in the interest of quickly reopening the government. By the same token, angry liberal senators could bleed out the parliamentary clocks and attempt to amend the bill to their liking — presumably with Obamacare provisions. The Senate must break yet another filibuster to finish the bill. Then it’s on to final passage. That only needs a simple majority. And even if some Democrats voted to hurdle the filibuster, they might not support the underlying plan at the end. However, that’s not a problem if GOP senators provide the necessary votes. Then it’s on to the House. The House’s disposition is unclear on this legislation. However, it’s hard to believe that most Republicans wouldn’t take this deal. Reps. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y.; Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.; and Jared Golden, D-Maine, are among moderate Democrats who may be in play to vote yes if the GOP loses a few votes. Golden was the lone House Democrat who voted for the old interim spending bill Sept. 19. Golden has since announced his retirement. Another big question: Would the House swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., before or after the vote? Democrats will bray if Johnson fails to swear in Grijalva before a possible House vote And, as we say, it’s always about the math. Swearing in Grijalva puts
Newsom tells Texas crowd taking back House is ‘the whole thing’ for Democrats in 2026
California Gov. Gavin Newsom told a crowd in Texas Saturday that Democrats winning back the House of Representatives in 2026 is “the whole thing.” Newsom, 58, continued to ride high over the weekend, four days after California’s Proposition 50 — to redistrict the state’s congressional map in favor of Democrats — passed in a landslide. Newsom also couldn’t resist taking a jab at his frequent foe, President Donald Trump. “He is an historic president, however historically unpopular,” he told the crowd in Houston. “And he had a very bad night on Tuesday.” OBAMA CALLS NEWSOM’S CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING MOVE A ‘RESPONSIBLE APPROACH’ TO GOP TACTICS Along with Prop 50 in California, Democrats also won gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia and democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani handily beat Democrat-turned-independent candidate Andrew Cuomo in the New York City mayoral election. Proposition 50 was a response to Texas’ legislature redistricting its congressional map in favor of Republicans over the summer. On Tuesday after Proposition 50 passed, Newsom called on other Democrat-led states to follow suit. “We need to see other states, their remarkable leaders that have been doing remarkable things, meet this moment head-on as well,” he said in a late-night news conference on Tuesday. “We can de facto end Donald Trump’s presidency as we know it, the minute Speaker Jeffries gets sworn in as speaker of the House of Representatives. It is all on the line.” NEWSOM SET TO RALLY TEXAS DEMS WITH VICTORY LAP DAYS AFTER PROP 50 PASSES: ‘CALIFORNIA STEPPED UP’ He continued his celebration on Saturday, telling the crowd, “There were lines around the block two hours after polling had stopped because people wanted to be heard, not just seen. They wanted to send a message. But, as I said, we cannot rest until we take it back. “There is no more important race in our lifetimes than the House of Representatives, and taking back the House and getting speaker [Hakeem] Jeffries sworn in next November. It’s the whole thing. It’s the whole thing. “And, so, that starts today,” he continued. “It started on Tuesday. “We can shape the future here in Texas. We can shape the future all across the South and across the United States of America. You have that power.” Trump and the GOP have spearheaded an effort to pad the party’s razor-thin House majority to keep control of the chamber in the 2026 midterms, when the party in power traditionally faces political headwinds and loses seats. Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio have drawn new maps as part of the president’s push. Trump is aiming to prevent what happened during his first term in the White House when Democrats reclaimed the House majority in the 2018 midterm elections. Although he hasn’t announced his intentions to run for president, Newsom has been widely seen as a possible frontrunner for Democrats in the 2028 presidential election. While two other Democratic blue state governors with likely national ambitions in 2028, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Wes Moore of Maryland, are mulling new maps in their states to create one or two more blue-leaning congressional districts, Newsom has been the most visible leader so far in the redistricting wars and the first Democrat to succeed. Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Republicans turn their attention to bashing Obamacare as shutdown enters day 39
Amid a 39-day government shutdown, Republican after Republican took to the Senate floor on Saturday to blast the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, calling the program a failed approach to addressing the country’s health care needs. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., went as far as to say the current system might need replacing. “You were promised when Obamacare passed in 2010, President Obama said that every family in America who participated in this thing would have a $2,500 savings in premium reductions. It’s been like a 100% increase. This thing is unsustainable,” Graham said. FLASHBACK: TED CRUZ PREDICTS BALLOONING OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES NOW AT CENTER OF SHUTDOWN FIGHT “We’re going to replace this broken system with something that is actually better for the consumer to meet the goal of lowering health care costs,” Graham added. Graham wasn’t the only Republican voice to speak out against Obamacare. “I hate to report that folks on the other side refused to acknowledge the very obvious damage being done across the board by Obamacare,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said. “The problem we have in healthcare is we’ve largely driven free-market principles out of healthcare. That’s because of the faulty design of Obamacare. It’s got to be fixed.” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., a former health care executive and longtime critic of the program, joined in. “It’s all caused by Obamacare. When the government gets involved in things, they often go up in price,” Scott said. Notably, Republican criticisms of Obamacare on Saturday went beyond the front-and-center issue holding up consideration of government funding. Where Republicans have advanced a short-term spending package meant to keep the government open through Nov. 21, Democrats have rejected it 14 times, demanding that lawmakers first consider extending COVD-era emergency tax subsidies for Obamacare plan holders. Republicans, who maintain the temporary subsidies and their expiration have nothing to do with government spending, have largely focused their attention on the shutdown itself instead of engaging in a debate over the COVID-era assistance. They’ve said they will negotiate on the subsidies when the government reopens. But President Donald Trump changed the picture on Saturday morning in a post to Truth Social by arguing that lawmakers should restructure the enhanced subsidies so that they go directly to the policyholders instead of insurance companies who currently receive the tax credit payments. TRUMP URGES SENATE REPUBLICANS TO REDIRECT FUNDS FROM OBAMACARE-BACKED INSURERS, PAY AMERICANS DIRECTLY After Trump’s suggestion, lawmakers began blasting Obamacare’s structure. “Obamacare costs the federal government closer to $150 billion a year. That’s right. We’re spending $150 billion of your tax-earned dollars supplementing other people’s health care,” Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said. “When they sold this to the American people, they said it would cost $40 or $50 billion, but we’re triple that. That’s $400 million a day,” he added. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, echoed those comments, arguing that Obamacare had missed the mark on its original design. “It’s clear that Obamacare has failed to deliver on its promises,” Ernst said. “The answer isn’t throwing more money into a broken system. What we need to do is fix what’s broken. We can end that waste.” HOUSE REPUBLICANS DIVIDED OVER OBAMACARE AS GOP EYES FIX AFTER SHUTDOWN Like Ernst and Marshall, Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio., also took to the floor, calling for Congress to evaluate the source of climbing health care costs. “So, I hope we want to get at the costs and the cause of what’s affecting the unaffordability of healthcare in this country. Healthcare has increased since Obamacare started by 6% a year while overall inflation has been 3% or less,” Husted said. “I hope we will reopen the government and begin serving the American people while we continue the very important conversation of how we make healthcare more affordable,” he added. Although Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has kept the Senate in session over the weekend while lawmakers attempt to break the gridlock, it’s unclear when lawmakers will next consider spending legislation.