The last of ‘the three amigos’ In Spring 2007, retired Gen. Petraeus got a call from the Pentagon: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham would serve active duty stints during the troop surge in Iraq. Petraeus said Graham was not welcome. A dozen stints later, they became lifelong friends.

McCaul on Graham's work on Russia sanctions bill: "we've been working for the last year on this bill to get it to a good place... Lindsey wanted to work with the White House ...to introduce a bill... the White House wouldn't object to... and we were finally there."

Texas Rep. McCaul, who overlapped Sen. Lindsey Graham's CODEL to this weekend, says he plans to rename Russia sanctions bill in Graham's honor. McCaul, who saw Graham as a mentor, will introduce the bill this week: "I can think of no greater tribute to him in his legacy."

Hell of a way for Tillis to go off on Paxton…

Pentagon officials told Congress they estimate the war in Iran has cost $29 billion so far. And, a new Education Scorecard shows U.S. students are improving in math. n.pr/42wOmSZ

The path to paying for the Iran war is paved with political peril for Republicans in control of Washington. U.S. government's tab is estimated at >$29 billion so far. This, as U.S. families pay >$12.1B in higher fuel prices or >$92/household. And there's more. www.npr.org/2026/04/10/n...

Pam Bondi depo delayed — Follows Reps. Mace, Khanna ask Oversight Chair James Comer reaffirm. Per panel spox: DOJ said “Bondi will not appear on April 14 … since she is no longer” AG, panel “will contact …Bondi’s personal counsel to discuss next steps” to resked.

Survivors, their friends and family urge Congress to release the Epstein files. House set to vote next week. “You have the ability to vote to release the Epstein files, and with it, deliver a promise the American people have awaited for far too long. We implore you to do so.”

First and only woman to be U.S. House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, announces her last term in office in a video message to San Francisco. @pelosi.house.gov ends with final, 20th term in Congress, capping off a historic mark on legislating after nearly 40 years on Capitol Hill. A clip of her announcement…

Source tells me Senate Dems lunch today will cover how they’ll vote tomorrow on Defense approps bill. Leader Thune tee’d up vote, marking 1st such test on approps since government shut down. But source made clear regular approps plan won’t change dynamics to reopen gov/address ACA.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune responds to OMB head Russ Vought’s post “the RIFs have begun,” telling @jordainc.bsky.social and I: “Well… I think they held off for as long as they could.”

“If the news about our military must first be approved by the government, then the public is no longer getting independent reporting. It is getting only what officials want them to see. That should alarm every American.” More from ⬇️ @pressclubdc.bsky.social

Top congressional leaders apparently in the dark on today’s U.S. military strike: Senate Majority Leader Thune: “I have not been briefed on that… let me find out.” SASC Chair Wicker: “It’s something I intend to look into” SASC Ranking D Reed: was told “nothing at all”

President Trump ordered a second military strike on narco-traffickers today. The first already raised new questions of POTUS’s expanded war powers and fears Trump can order strikes “whenever he likes.” And Congress still knows very little. More here: www.npr.org/2025/09/14/n...

So… I won’t be washing my right hand for a while!! See the @npr.org Ed Sheeran Tiny Desk today here: www.youtube.com/live/Q2CW9TZ...

What a day for U.S. Capitol Police: At midday, an extensive response and investigation into a bomb threat at DNC HQ that wasn’t credible. Tonight, they’re investigating a suspicious vehicle that’s got several streets by the Senate blocked off.

Asked Senate Majority Leader Thune if strike signals shift in U.S. rules of engagement: "I wouldn't read too much into it ...It was a clear interpretation ...by the cartels: You... ship substances up here... killing Americans ...we are going to deal with it as a national security threat."

Some Rs disagree on justification: Sen. Graham says U.S. posture on drug interdiction has shifted: "We're considering narco-terrorist states to be military threats not law enforcement threats." Sen. Paul: "is ...the new Coast Guard policy to shoot without asking questions?"

A source tells me in a tense meeting this morning, Pentagon officials briefed Senate national security and leadership staff on last week’s U.S. strike on a Venezuelan boat. However, they provided little answers, and legal justification for the strike...

A House Oversight Committee aide says panel has received 1st set of docs from Epstein Estate in response to Chair Comer subpoena. The birthday book compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s 50th birthday, Epstein's last will & testament among docs...

I was sure I’d be fired as a 1st year radio journalist, lost after decades as a digital/print reporter. @ari-shapiro.bsky.social was a mentor who helped pull me out of that imposter syndrome hell. The biggest gut punch yet in an ongoing, brutal @npr.org exodus. variety.com/2025/digital...

Just caught Senate Majority Leader John Thune going back into the chamber, and when I asked if he had the votes, he gave me a thumbs up.

Whoever did this, I love you

Sen. @amyklobuchar.com tells me she was with “good friend” state Rep. Hortman and her husband last night. “We had a big political dinner,” in Minn., “she and her husband were right in the front.” Klobuchar then traveled to Boston for an event, but rushed back amid tragic news.

For more on the CPB/NPR/PBS of it all, read this deeply reported piece by my incredible colleagues @davidfolkenflik.bsky.social, @deirdrekwalsh.bsky.social www.npr.org/2025/06/03/n...

New White House rescissions package officially released: www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...

🎙️ ON AIR: We're speaking with @cgrisales.bsky.social‬ and @russellberman.bsky.social about what’s in President Trump's 1000-plus page budget bill and its political implications. ❓ What are your questions about the Republican budget bill? 📻 Listen:

Earlier, House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Eric Burlison in remarkable exchange when asked if he's standing in way of Trump's agenda, told reporters: "This town has got a lot of snakes in the grass who don't want to accomplish it, and anyway that they can, they're going to stop it..."

Yes I asked: @booker.senate.gov comms director Jeff Giertz told me during record-breaking speech "No, Booker is not" wearing a catheter or a diaper. (Texans remember Wendy Davis, who went 13 hours with a catheter and Mizunos for a filibuster.)

As he quickly left Capitol, Speaker Johnson told me he WILL TRY AGAIN to kill bipartisan proxy voting effort for new moms by Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, Brittany Pettersen. On cancelling House floor votes, sending members home: “Because… the agenda’s just been taken off the table.”

Senate intel member Sen. Rounds expects Trump admin's @signal.org debacle to come up tomorrow in open intel hearing, AND a bipartisan closed briefing: "I want to hear an explanation of it from the individuals involved in it in a classified setting." Intel Chairman Tom Cotton declined comment.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman #RogerWicker and @reed.senate.gov, top Dem on panel, tell me they expect to hold a bipartisan hearing on Trump administration’s debacle on Signal documented in @theatlantic.com: Wicker: “I think there will be, yes.” Reed: “It is an egregious violation.”

Worth your while to read this remarkable thread on X/Twitter: President Zelenskyy pleads for help from the world: “Putin is lying to everyone about the situation on the ground… Putin is also lying about how a ceasefire is supposedly too complicated.”

Sen. @coons.senate.gov told @npr.org he’s a no on CR, but understands some Ds may vote yes bc a shutdown might let Trump “further break the guardrails.” Also, sources tell me some Ds worried shutdown plays into Musk’s hands, pointing to this story www.wired.com/story/elon-m...

Source warns eyes are on @Schumer.Senate.gov, however, as Senate D leader could sway Dem members in Trump-won districts: “If between now and tomorrow Chuck Schumer comes out and says ‘we’re going to get this through the Senate,’ Then it may be a different situation.”

A source familiar with discussions among House mod and frontline Dems tells me @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social, House caucus leaders can count on them to vote no tomorrow on the GOP-backed CR: “It would be a mistake by House Republicans to think any Dems are going to bail them out.”

Georgia Rep. McCormick, who was hammered by constituents in town hall recently, tells me he’s hoping to talk with President Trump today on new efforts for “compassionate” messaging amid dramatic GOP spending cut plans. He’s part of House GOP sophomore class set for 4P meeting at WH.

Heated moment during DOGE caucus press conference led by co-chair Rep. Bean et al at House triangle. Protestor behind press began yelling at members and forcibly removed by @CapitolPolice as others joined in. (Protestor barely visible on right behind barricade etc.)

On his way to today's Senate Republican luncheon, Sen. Kevin Cramer tells reporters that Stephen Miller is their featured guest to talk immigration.

The line to get in moments ago…

Confirmation hearing starts shortly for Sen. Marco Rubio for Secretary of State before Senate Foreign Relations panel. More on Rubio’s story today on NPR’s Morning Edition www.npr.org/2025/01/15/n...

Coming up on @CNN shortly!

Utterly brilliant, one of the best half time shows ever. And making Houston girls everywhere proud!!! www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcn...

House Ethics Committee formally releases its report on former Rep. MattGaetz, as ongoing legal action by Gaetz delayed the plans ethics.house.gov/committee-re...

This may work docs.house.gov/billsthiswee...

NEW: New House Republican plan to address government shutdown, debt ceiling and more: docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/…

Congress flirts with a holiday shutdown as GOP objects to bipartisan spending bill www.npr.org/2024/12/17/g... via @cgrisales.bsky.social & Barbara Sprunt

SCOOP: Before news of Rep. Jerry Nadler bowing out as Judiciary’s top ranking Dem, Rep. Jamie Raskin had secured support from >130 House Dems after a flurry of calls with members, sources tell me.

A source familiar with Republicans’ thinking on House ethics panel re: Gaetz tells me deadlocked, partisan vote came down to releasing an unfinished report. Argued there is no such precedent, and could force release of other draft ethics reports…