SHUTDOWN over www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Washington Journal #CSPAN #CSPANWJ Skeet at @c-span.bsky.social and cspanwj.bsky.social Bloomberg News Capitol Hill reporter @elwasson.bsky.social previews the week ahead in Congress, including efforts to avert a government shutdown at the end of the month Watch here: tinyurl.com/zse5akz6

“An international broadcast company has ceased operations in the United States and will make a complete liquidation of their late model digital radio, video and podcast technology assets, studio equipment office and business equipment.” […] [Original post on journa.host]

End of federally funded TV and radio near www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

JUST IN: US judge blocks State Department's planned overhaul, mass layoffs reut.rs/3G2QYAe

Trump says we're overrun by "illegals." He's manifested those fever dreams into reality through a “de-documentation” campaign, stripping legal immigrants of their visas & work permits. He's not targeting criminals; he's criminalizing immigrants who follow the law. wapo.st/3HvBBka

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump’s global tariffs were deemed illegal and blocked by the US trade court, a major blow. The ruling can now be appealed by the Trump administration in federal court. The court said justifying them on the basis of "national emergencies" exceeded his authority.

BREAKING: Termination notices are expected to go out to the 800 remaining Voice of America employees this week.

Scalise on CNBC: "This bond downgrade is another serious blow that shows that America needs to get its fiscal house in order. We start to do that in this bill." NOTE: The bill is project to increase the debt by trillions of dollars, hence the pushback from the right. Via CRFB >

NEW: Judge Howell rules that Trump/DOGE's *entire takeover* of the U.S. Institute of Peace was unlawful—including the removal of board members and termination of programs. She reinstates the actual board members and invalidates everything the imposters did. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Todd Blanche, a former personal lawyer for President Trump, is now acting Librarian of Congress. According to his public profile, Blanche has no experience working in libraries or archives.

The US Code doesn't actually seem to provide any mechanism for removal www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/...

Exclusive: National Science Foundation staff were told today that the agency’s 37 divisions—across all eight directorates—are being abolished and the number of programs within those divisions will be drastically reduced.

BREAKING: President Trump just fired our nation's Librarian. My statement here:

"The Society of Professional Journalists is alarmed by the proposal to replace Voice of America news feeds from its own journalists and other internationally respected news organizations with One America News." https://www.spj.org/spj-views-proposed-voa-oan-deal-as-affront-to-sidelined-usagm-journal

On May 4, our Save VOA account on X was mistakenly flagged as “inauthentic,” but today we’ve regained access. Save VOA are genuine accounts run by volunteers who want to #SaveVOA. And we need your support too! Please contact your reps and ask them to keep VOA alive!

At 12:33 PM on May 4, the SaveVOA team received a notice that our X account (@savevoanow) has been suspended for allegedly “violating rules against inauthentic accounts.” We are appealing this decision. 🧵

2/ The DC Circuit decision on Voice of America is more particular and peculiar. The Court halts part 1 (staff terminations) and part 2 (any grants) of the Apr 22 district court preliminary injunction below.⤵️ The Court leaves in place part 3 (which the USG did not seek to stay).

BREAKING: DC Circuit panel allows the Trump administration to block funding for and take other actions against Voice of America and similar media orgs during DOJ's appeal of losses below. Majority by Judges Katsas and Rao, both Trump appointees. Judge Pillard, an Obama appointee, dissents.

BUDGET: An White House official told reporters it is important to defund international human rights and democracy promoting non-governmental organizations because they are are irking foreign regimes and thus interfering with Trump's ability to conduct foreign policy.

I am told that DOGE showed up at the peace corps this morning. If you’re there or know details please contact me at joshtpm.99 on signal.

Journalists working for Voice of America & U.S. international media risk everything to report the truth—often facing threats, reprisals from foreign regimes, and serious hardship. Given the abrupt closing of this agency—please consider supporting them here: secure.givelively.org/donate/usagm...

BREAKING: The head of the $42 billion federal BEAD program that aims to bring broadband internet to rural and unserved areas has left the Commerce Dept. He sent a departing email warning of "deeply negative outcomes" for people if the Trump admin shifts $$ from fiber internet to Musk's Starlink:

Voice of America is silent. I remember in the Cold War when the Soviet Union wanted nothing more than to silence the Voice of America. Today's the day it happened.

News: "Bloody Saturday" for Voice of America and other U.S.-funded international networks Mass indefinite suspensions at Voice of America, Radio/TV Marti Federal contracts severed for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia & more My NPR story www.npr.org/2025/03/15/n...

Senate Clears Way for GOP Spending Bill as Shutdown Threat Ebbs www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

DEM AND IND Yes on House GOP spending bill: Schumer, Durbin, Gillibrand, Hassan, Peters, Fetterman, Schatz, Cortez Masto, Shaheen, King

*SENATE HAS ENOUGH VOTES ON KEY TEST FOR STOPGAP BILL

I’m voting NO on cloture and NO on the House Republican’s disastrous government spending bill. Here’s why:

Johns Hopkins University said it had begun laying off more than 2,000 workers across the globe after the institution lost $800 million in federal grants cut by the Trump administration. www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

Schumer Says He Won’t Block GOP Bill to Avert Shutdown www.bloomberg.com/news/article... via @bloomberg.com @elwasson.bsky.social

Sheldon Whitehouse suggested if Democrats get a vote on their 30 day stopgap, they’d provide votes for cloture on the GOP bill, meaning game over. He told me “it’s not an unreasonable ask to say, if you want cloture, you’d better give us a vote.”

"Wow. That's beautiful. ... Everything's computer"

Washington Journal #CSPAN #CSPANWJ Skeet at @c-span.bsky.social and cspanwj.bsky.social Bloomberg congressional reporter Erik Wasson @elwasson.bsky.social discusses efforts to avoid a govt shutdown this coming Friday as another deadline to fund FEDGOV looms Watch here: tinyurl.com/4yvxkr92

NEW (#GovernmentShutdown) via @bloomberg.com's @elwasson.bsky.social: "House Republicans announced a spending bill to keep government agencies open through Sept. 30, daring Democrats to vote against it and risk a disruptive March 15 shutdown." www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Key House Republican Warns Debt-Ceiling Breach Possible in May www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

The language did not change, and Rep. Victoria Spartz flipped to YES. This has become a pattern for her; colleagues have grown accustomed to calling her bluff.

Senate Budget Vote Leaves Hurdles For Trump Tax Cuts, Debt Limit www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Trump Backs $4.5 Trillion Tax Cut in House GOP Budget Plan

JUST IN: A federal judge has ordered the reinstatement of Cathy Harris atop the Merit Systems Protection Board, ruling that Trump's decision to fire her exceeded his authority. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Steve Bannon, US Hospitals Join Moderate GOP Rebellion Over Medicaid Cuts www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Breaking — All probationary employees at OPM were just fired in a mass phone call. Acting Director Chuck Ezell told staffers, "I encourage you to use this as an opportunity for your next step forward," per recording I reviewed. On site staffers were given less than an hour to leave.

NEWS: House GOP Takes First Step Toward Tax Cuts, Debt Limit Increase www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

I’M BACK: What did I miss ? Grateful for the paternity leave to bond with my new son. Excited to jump back into covering Congress, budget, tax news for Bloomberg! Send tips my way ewasson @ Bloomberg.net