What is Gabe Fleisher watching for next week? He tells us to keep an eye on a bipartisan bill targeting “ghost students” — people accused of using FAFSA and federal student aid without actually attending college. The issue, he says, could involve hundreds of millions of dollars in fraud.

What happened this week on Capitol Hill? Gabe Fleisher breaks down the Senate vote-a-rama, the reconciliation fight, and a House vote on a War Powers Resolution aimed at curbing U.S. involvement in Iran with @pkcapitol.bsky.social & Susan Davis

[email protected] says Congress is stalling on issues that would likely have bipartisan support if they actually came up for a vote, from kids’ online safety to stock trading, background checks, reproductive rights, and health care.

[email protected] says his Supreme Court reform push is designed as a constitutional amendment so changes would last beyond one presidency or one court majority. He told 535 the goal is consistent turnover, congressional authority, and reforms he says many Americans support.

“Your reputation becomes your currency in this town.” Amos Snead explains why reputation matters early on Capitol Hill — and why how you treat people can follow you throughout a Washington career.

Amos Snead says one of the best things young Hill staffers can do is build real relationships early — because the people around them now may be running Washington in the years ahead. Watch the conversation on 535.news

“Violence is a leading cause of death for pregnant women.” @repemiliasykes.bsky.social says any serious conversation about maternal mortality has to include violence against pregnant women — an issue she says is too often left out of the policy debate. Watch the conversation on 535.news

“It’s not just what happens in the hospital. It’s what’s happening outside of the hospital as well.” @repemiliasykes.bsky.social tells 535 that addressing Black maternal health means confronting violence, housing, clean air and water, safe communities, and economic security — not just medical care.

Rep. Moran says apprenticeship tax credits could help businesses train new workers without taking on the full cost alone. Moran told 535 the goal is to make it easier for employers to launch apprenticeship programs and build a stronger pipeline for skilled jobs.

“My best guess is we’re actually going to see more disruption from jobs that have historically been called white collar jobs.” Sen. Todd Young says that workers who deal in words and data may face more disruption — and says Congress needs policy that supports both existing industries and new jobs.

If @reptedlieu.bsky.social could pass an AI bill tomorrow, he says it would start with testing and disclosure requirements for the most advanced models — aimed at preventing catastrophic risks like new pandemics or major cyberattacks. Watch the on 535.news

Joining us now: @repemiliasykes.bsky.social to talk about the black maternal health MOMNIBUS Act

On the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, @pelosi.house.gov joined 535 to reflect on the San Francisco rally that followed, China’s suppression of dissent, and why the moment was “intolerable.”

[email protected] says she never planned to run for Congress — until she was asked, and first checked with her daughter. “I’ve never aspired to that… I love my life here.” Watch her reflect on the unexpected start of her congressional career on 535.

On this day in 1919, Congress passed the 19th Amendment and sent women’s suffrage to the states. @pelosi.house.gov is live on 535 and reflected on the fight that followed, the Tennessee vote that made history, and why expanding freedom has always required action. Watch on 535.news

Prepping for a packed show with: @pelosi.house.gov @reptedlieu.bsky.social @repemiliasykes.bsky.social @repjohnnyo.bsky.social Amos Snead Gabe Fleisher Chatting with our contributors @pkcapitol.bsky.social @macfarlanenews.bsky.social @lacaldwelldc.bsky.social Sue Davis Starts at 10:45 am ET

Mark Keida with Narrative Strategies says 61% of voters want to hear Washington talk about inflation and cost of living — while only about 20% say leaders are focused on the issues they care about.

“That’s what I was here to do — pass legislation.” Former Rep. Patrick McHenry joined 535 to explain why he left Congress after 10 terms, saying his term limit as chair of the House Financial Services Committee felt like a natural endpoint.

Now on 535: Former Rep. Patrick McHenry, who made history as Speaker pro tempore and gaveled the House through one of its most chaotic moments, joins us to talk life after Congress, leadership, and more.

Rep. Liccardo says he is “deeply concerned” about how Americans get their information — and who controls their data — warning that foreign influence over major media and personal information is “deeply disconcerting.” Watch the exchange on 535.

Rep. Liccardo says Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is “no friend of free journalism,” citing U.S. intelligence findings about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and raising concerns about potential influence over CNN. Watch the exchange on 535.

“I think it is the story.” Robert Egge of the @alzassociation.bsky.social told 535 that when advocates go to Congress, personal experiences with Alzheimer’s diagnosis — or the lack of one — can be more powerful than statistics alone. Watch the conversation on 535.

“We have this massive expense that’s projected to grow to as much as $1 trillion in today’s dollars by mid-century.” Robert Egge of the @alzassociation.bsky.social explained why earlier diagnosis and treatment could matter not just for patients and families, but for the long-term cost of care.

“Congress said 13-year-olds can be adults online. I’m on a mission to change that.” Rep. Houchin told 535 how her daughter accessed Instagram at 13 without her family’s knowledge — and why that experience is driving her push to raise online protections for kids.

“Trade is a factor in peace building around the world.” On 535, Ed Brzytwa with the Consumer Technology Association discussed how durable commercial relationships can create more stability, predictability, and certainty — and why that matters for avoiding conflict.

Ed Brzytwa with the Consumer Technology Association: “A constant state of uncertainty and trade chaos is not in the long-term interests of our country.” On 535, he broke down what comes next on tariffs, trade policy, and why durable agreements with U.S. allies matter.

[email protected] says a new Republican-led task force is examining “institutional abuses and constitutional rights” — while ignoring what he calls “the big elephant in the room”: Pres. Trump’s alleged violations of the Constitution and the law.

The Epstein files keep coming up in oversight hearings, and now Rep. Walkinshaw says Republicans are avoiding formal hearings because Democrats could force subpoena votes. “That means you can’t make a motion to subpoena anybody.”

Now on 535: Rep. Walkinshaw takes a moment of personal privilege. Watch what he has to say live now.

535 streams live here on @bsky.app starting at the top of the hour. Join us for live conversations from Capitol Hill with the people and policies shaping Washington. youtube.com/live/oXactZ4...

The average age of a first-time homebuyer hit a record high of 40 years old, a big jump from age 29 in the 1980s. Rep. Lou Correa and Rep. Mark Alford are leading a bipartisan effort to make buying a home more affordable.

Imagine: you walk out of a classified briefing and bet on what you just learned. It's not a gamble for you, and you win big. Virtually no guardrails exist to stop it. Rep. Budzinski writes on The Floor is Yours how the bipartisan PREDICT Act would ban it→ 535.news/op-ed/betting-on-bipartisanship

Introducing The Floor is Yours, our new series where the people shaping policy make their case in their own words. First up: Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06) on the mental health crisis - and the fixes already within reach. 🔗 535.news/op-ed/we-are-losing-people-to-a-crisis-we-know-how-to-fix

We spoke with Rep. Kamlager Dove about the conditions women are facing in federal custody. She told @macfarlanenews.bsky.social about reports of incarcerated women being shackled while giving birth — and why she believes more attention is needed on the treatment of women in custody.

We spoke to National Association of Realtors Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn about how to unlock more #housing across the country, including fixing the market lock-in.

The policy conversations moving Washington are happening on 535. Week 2 featured live conversations from Capitol Hill on housing, tariffs, Big Tech, FEMA, railroad safety, bipartisan legislation, and more. Watch the highlights ⬇ youtu.be/Uw9UhYi9Txs?...

Thank you @pkcapitol.bsky.social and @535news.bsky.social for giving me the opportunity to talk about spending on Congress and the recent court opinion on member pay. It's a fundamental truth that we get what we pay for -- and we deserve better. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W16...

Sports Betting Alliance president and CEO Joe Maloney joins us to break down the witnesses at the Senate's "No Sure Bets" hearing on sports betting integrity.

Rep. Kamlager-Dove on why she says more attention needs to be paid to the disproportionate impact the prison system has on women. ⬇️

Rep. Kamlager-Dove on the Women in Criminal Justice Reform Act: "Women are incarcerated every single day, but we never think about it because when we think about jails, prisons, and detention facilities, we're often thinking about men. But the fastest-growing population in our prisons are women."

Did the Department of Homeland Security take its eye off FEMA? @SenPeterWelch on Sec. Noem: "She didn't care. She said let's abolish FEMA — how could somebody say that?" ⬇️

Sen. Peter Welch on the importance of FEMA — and why he's fighting to give communities more local control over disaster response and recovery efforts. ⬇️

Scott Breen, President of the Can Manufacturers Institute, on how tariffs are impacting consumers at the grocery store — and what the industry is doing about it. ⬇️

"We need an emergency solution to how bad gas prices have become — but that can't be the only arrow in the quiver." Rep. Josh Harder says lowering costs today isn't enough. He argues Congress also needs to build more energy and rethink how America funds roads and highways. ⬇️

"The gas tax is long overdue to be reformed." Rep. Josh Harder says the gas tax has become a deeply unfair tax — learn why ⬇️

Daniel Shulman, Executive Director of the American Governance Institute: "The money for the policy work hasn't really increased in 25 years. Where almost all of the new money has gone is to cops and buildings." ⬇️

"The worst people to do magic tricks are members of Congress." Rep. Mark Pocan explains why ⬇️

Did you know Rep. Mark Pocan paid his way through college by performing magic shows? 🎩✨ ⬇️

We asked Rep. Nikki Budzinski whether a discharge petition could be used to force consideration of the bipartisan PREDICT Act on the House floor: "That should be on the table." ⬇️

Rep. Nikki Budzinski introduced the bipartisan PREDICT Act, legislation that would prohibit senior government officials from participating in insider prediction market trading. "We want to rebuild public trust, I think this is a step forward in that direction."