Happening now: Sen. Chris Murphy says the Trump administration is “choosing to exploit” the horrific murder of Charlie Kirk “to weaponize the federal government to destroy Donald Trump's political opposition.”

SCOOP: Amid intense polarization, alleviating the rising cost of child care for millions of families is an area Republicans & Democrats could find common ground And that’s why a bipartisan group of Senators is working to expand a key grant program: www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

Democratic Gov Josh Shapiro is keynoting the Eradicate Hate summit in Pittsburgh, a group founded in the wake of the Tree of Life shooting He was introduced by former Gov Corbett, who shared that as a lifelong Republican, he and Shapiro agree on one thing: violence needs to end

Sen. Bernie Sanders out with one of the strongest statements from any elected official about the assassination of Charlie Kirk and disturbing rise in political violence x.com/sensanders/s...

GOP Rep Don Bacon says he wishes President Trump would unite the country after Kirk shooting “But he’s a populist, and populists dwell on anger… I have to remind people, we had Democrats killed in Minnesota too, right?”

Speaker Johnson told us not many lawmakers took advantage of enhanced security $ over the summer, but after yesterday, members & spouses are scared They’d need to hire 5k (more) officers to secure all members, which isn’t possible, he said “You have to change the human heart”

NEW: Former Meta employees say they saw child abuse in VR before company blocked research In an exclusive interview with NBC News, one of the whistleblowers told me social media platforms are so unsafe, parents should keep their kids off of them — period www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-ne...

TOMORROW: GOP & Democratic staff on the House Oversight Committee, including lawyers, will meet with the Epstein Estate in NY to view *unredacted* materials, like the Birthday book The House investigation is plowing ahead… @nbcnews.com

Epstein survivors on the Hill say they have been “discussing creating our own list of names” Lisa Phillips: “We know the names. Many of us were abused by them. Together as survivors we will confidentially compile the names that were regularly in the Epstein world.”

🧵 Myrtle Beach — Rep Nancy Mace, holding her 1st town hall since announcing her run for Governor (and one of her only town halls this year), says she will “walk into every lions den” and talk to anyone The event is ticketed (free) but those who aren’t supportive of Mace are being asked to leave

NEW: Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin tells Democrats to 'go nuclear' in redistricting fight We went to her only town hall of the recess… and talked to the rising Democratic star about the future of the party & more www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...

Hi @bsky.app! I’ll try to post here more often… 👋 👋 👋

WATCH: I traveled to rural parts of Missouri to hear from patients and providers directly Their message to lawmakers considering Medicaid cuts that would impact their funding? "There is no more fat to trim" www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-pre...

Sen Tillis circulated a doc to Senate GOP last night outlining how the Medicaid provisions in their sweeping bill could hurt states, particularly red ones He estimates 600k people in his state could lose coverage but hasn’t said he’d oppose the bill www.nbcnews.com/politics/pol...

Today: Primary election for NJ governor. @newsjul.bsky.social has the latest.

NEWS: Trump-backed Jack Ciattarelli wins GOP primary for New Jersey governor We're at his election night party where he is expected to address supporters any minute... Meanwhile Rep Mikie Sherrill leads the pack on the Dem side but race hasn't been called www.nbcnews.com/politics/ele...

🧵It’s Primary Eve in the New Jersey Gubernatorial race, but a big focus is what’s happening across the country in LA… at least among the Democratic candidates & voters that we spent time with today

NEWS: Schumer's event tonight promoting his book on Antisemitism was interrupted by pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel protests The event went on as planned Schumer said: “The founding fathers said we might disagree on our views, but we should debate them and treat each other civilly"

NEW -- FDA Chief Dr. Marty Makary on new vaccine guidelines: "I think the decision should be between a doctor and a pregnant woman" Admin hasn't released data behind the move On this, Makary opposes "the idea that the government has to tell you what to do" www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...

GOP leadership taking a victory lap after passing Trump’s Budget bill with narrow majority Whip Tom Emmer: “Don’t doubt House Republicans” Rep Lisa McClain: “Thank God for House Republicans” Speaker Johnson says media & Democrats “have been proven wrong” All tout Trump’s help

BREAKING: House GOP passes Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” to extend 2017 tax cuts & includes no tax on tips & overtime But it also makes changes to Medicaid & repeals or phases out several clean energy tax credits 215-214-1 Two Republicans opposed, now it’s the Senate’s turn

House expected to vote early this morning on GOP budget bill Leader Jeffries is on the floor now, sharing stories from Americans in GOP districts who rely on social benefits “If your representatives won’t fight for you, we will fight for you,” he says as Dems applaud behind him

NEWS: Senate advances the GENIUS Act, which would provide regulatory framework for stablecoin issuers A long way to go (+ ? future in the house, which has its own version) but a HUGE step after 1st attempt failed Dems who voted no supported it today w/ promise of amendment vote

New to @nbcnews.com: Sen Approps Chair Susan Collins says Qatar jet gift to Trump is “rife with legal, ethical and practical impediments, including the potential for espionage”   “I’m not sure how we would be able to adequately inspect and outfit it to prevent that from happening.”

Big deal: Apple now backs the Kids Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to stop promotion of self-harm/sexual exploitation to minors It gives power to parents & most tech companies lobbied against it Schumer, Thune, Blumenthal, Blackburn reintroducing: www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

Some Republican lawmakers express concern over Qatar gifting luxury jet to Trump. @newsjul.bsky.social has the latest www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddo...

HHS Secretary RFK Jr. arrives to testify before the House in one of two hearings today on the budget He didn’t answer my questions, but there are also several Code Pink protestors here Lawmakers have a lot of questions for him: measles, autism, NIH funding, Medicaid, etc.

ICYMI: Congress is trying to regulate the cryptocurrency industry… but do most members understand the differences between the digital assets? And where do discussions stand? Our deep dive www.nbcnews.com/now/video/co...

NEW: The Senate is expected to move forward with a vote on a bipartisan crypto regulation bill TODAY — but it’s unclear if enough Democrats will support it as negotiations are ongoing LOTS of new details @nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

Trump names functional medicine physician Dr. Casey Means - who is very close to RFK Jr. - as his next Surgeon General nominee truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...

A group of Senate Banking committee Democrats (and crypto-focused Republicans) are huddling right now to negotiate a path forward on the Stablecoin bill Leader Thune plans to move forward with it tomorrow despite opposition from some Democrats who want more guardrails

At the House hearing on Antisemitism, Georgetown professor David Cole admonishes the committee for holding hearings that “are not an attempt to find out what happened, but an attempt to chill protected speech” Cole argues that government should not play a role in this issue

Asked Majority Leader John Thune if Republicans can flip the Georgia Senate seat if Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene is the nominee: “We believe Georgia is going to be competitive. I have no idea who the Republican nominee would be at this point… but I'm encouraged by the fact there's lot of interest.”

First to NBC: Senate Democrats unveil bill to expand startup tax credit for small businesses It seeks to help small business owners by expanding the startup tax credit from $5k to $50k, mirroring a campaign trail pledge from Kamala Harris www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

NEW: Susan Collins used her first hearing as chair of the appropriations panel to push back on the Trump admin's cuts to the National Institutes of Health Emily Stenson flew across the country with her young daughter to "put a face to childhood cancer" @nbcnews.com www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...

NEWS: National security adviser Michael Waltz is expected to depart his post Leader Schumer: "They should fire him, but they're firing the wrong guy. They should be firing Hegseth." buff.ly/JBjlFoO

Leader Schumer dodges on some Democrats' criticism over leadership's handling of the tariff vote yesterday (Dem Sen Whitehouse was overseas and they forced the vote anyway, which failed) Schumer calls it "a win-win either way" because they got Republicans, and VP Vance, on the record

49-49 the effort to rebuke Trump on tariffs failed 2 absences: Sens Whitehouse & McConnell, who would have voted for it McConnell spox: "The Senator has been consistent in opposing tariffs and that a trade war is not in the best interest of American households and businesses."

Leaving a meeting with House Republicans, Sen Graham says President Trump is "open-minded" about adding work requirements for Medicaid eligibility, and believes the "only way" to achieve $1.5-2 trillion in spending cuts is by targeting "abuse" -- including ACA-era expansion

USTR Jamieson Greer told Senate GOP that countries are calling him to negotiate trade deals, and he is "optimistic" they will settle several of them in the next few weeks, according to two Senators who attended the meeting with Greer & Vice President J.D. Vance.

Asked Sen Amy Klobuchar if she is interested in running to succeed Sen Dick Durbin in leadership: “I have a very important job to do right now. My job is to keep people unified and to keep them focused.” “There’s going to be dozens of people running for President, it appears.”

Leader Thune defends Trump administration on tariffs, telling me: “At the end of the day again, this administration is going to be judged by the results that they get” He suggests Trump’s low polls on the economy are “short term”

Senate GOP leader Thune on President Trump’s first 100 days in office: “I’d say it’s promises made, promises kept”

Vice President Vance and the U.S. Trade Representative are expected to attend lunch this afternoon with Senate Republicans

Democrats release tracker of federal funding blocked by Trump www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...

We just caught up with Speaker Johnson after the recess… - Still eyeing MDW for House passage of reconciliation - Maintains debt ceiling lift WILL be included - Says Republicans “are going to save Medicaid” but is committed to $1.5T in cuts - Trump is “in a good mood” today

I had the best day ever when I got to meet Poppy, the sassy baby pygmy hippo (even if she rejected me when I tried to feed her) We revealed a new, outdoor interactive experience at the Metro Richmond Zoo on the @todayshow.com — you can reserve your tickets now! www.today.com/video/see-th...

NEWS: The House adopts the Senate budget resolution 216-214 Rep Thomas Massie & Rep Victoria Spartz are the only NO votes They still have a VERY long way to go before funding President Trump’s immigration / tax agenda, but a big step by the House this morning

Dem Reps Pettersen & Jacobs called up their discharge petition for proxy voting for new parents even though it won’t go anywhere w/o Rep Luna & GOP buy-in “Speaker Johnson made it impossible for Republicans,” Pettersen said, baby in tow She criticized vote-pairing, the deal Luna & Johnson struck

The latest on proxy voting for new parents... Speaker Johnson posted this morning that he spoke to Trump (they spoke yesterday and today, per source) and Trump is deferring to him on House procedure. "Mike, you have my proxy on proxy voting" is what Johnson said Trump told him.