Spikes in energy prices caused by the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran drove up inflation for Americans in March, according to the latest consumer price index figures released Friday. via @ashleymurray.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gas-...

House Ethics Committee schedules hearing for April 21 to determine "what, if any, sanction would be appropriate for the Committee to recommend to the House of Representatives" regarding Florida Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick

US House Democrats call for Congress to come back into session for Iran war debate My latest for @statesnewsroom.com: www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-h...

President Donald Trump’s threats to destroy power plants and bridges in Iran before saying he was prepared for a “whole civilization” to die have renewed questions about what constitutes an illegal order www.newsfromthestates.com/article/deba...

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2.5 million Americans lost food aid in months after passage of GOP megabill, @centeronbudget.bsky.social study finds. Story for @statesnewsroom.com

We’re on strike today! Support our fight for a fair contract by NOT visiting the @propublica.org website or engaging with ProPublica stories today. Tell ProPublica’s management you won’t cross the picket line: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

Republican Clay Fuller wins runoff to succeed Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress #gapol

BREAKING: The U.S. strikes Kharg Island, critical to Iran's oil industry, again ahead of Trump deadline, AP source says.

Trump signals he may have the United States rebuild what he's bombed so far in Iran -- "We may even get involved with helping them rebuild their nation."

Makeover in store for Congress with flood of lawmakers headed for the exits www.newsfromthestates.com/article/make...

Just Posted — www.newsfromthestates.com/article/demo...

Updated: Trump budget seeks 43% boost in defense spending, cuts in many domestic programs www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trum...

NEW - Trump’s signature elections bill would effectively end voter registration drives, cutting off a vital path civic groups use to reach underrepresented voters My latest for @statesnewsroom.com www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trum...

Trump administration's fiscal 2027 budget request asks Congress to cut nondefense programs by 10% and increase defense funding by 42% www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...

Schumer says "House Republicans need to get to work and end the longest Republican shutdown in history.”

A Biden student loan plan has ended. Here’s what borrowers need to know. @statesnewsroom.com story by Shauneen Miranda:

Trump signs order seeking to curb vote-by-mail in bid to exert control over states, reports @jonshorman.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trum...

Trump order to block NPR, PBS funding was unlawful, judge rules www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trum...

TSA officers finally get paid amid ongoing Homeland Security shutdown. @statesnewsroom.com story:

icymi: US Senate, House pass dueling Homeland Security bills, keeping department unfunded www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-s...

House votes 213-203 to send an eight-week stopgap spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security to the Senate, where it has no chance of becoming law. DHS shutdown will continue for at least two more weeks while both chambers of Congress are on their spring break.

House set to vote on the eight-week DHS stopgap spending bill that has no chance of becoming law and will not end the shutdown around 11 p.m. tonight.

Trump Education Department downsizing continues with removal from D.C. headquarters. Shauneen Miranda reports for @statesnewsroom.com:

US House refuses to vote on Senate deal to fund Homeland Security without ICE, Border Patrol w/ @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-h...

The Senate early Friday approved funding for the vast majority of the Department of Homeland Security, sending a bill to the House that could end the shutdown that began in mid-February. www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-s...

Mandatory sunset photo as we wait for Thune to emerge from his office

Trump to sign emergency order to pay TSA agents with no deal in Congress on shutdown www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trum...

Senate DHS Appropriations Subcommittee RM Chris Murphy said talks are ongoing. “There's an active negotiation going on. I hope they don't unilaterally decide to walk away. But that's their decision. They ultimately take orders from a higher power.”

Schatz says “it’s just not true that we’re not in a negotiation.” “It may be that one person or the other has lost patience and that would be too bad. But we’re still talking.

‘Sense of urgency’ about airport lines as US Senate considers new offer on DHS funding www.newsfromthestates.com/article/sens...

Thune says Dems haven’t “responded officially” to Republicans latest DHS funding offer. “There are some language requests that they made that we did everything we could to accommodate.”

US Senate turns down photo ID requirement for voting, slammed by Dems as 'theatrics' www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-s...

Coons says it’s “a good sign that there is paper going back and forth” on DHS funding. But adds that there is still work to do.

Durbin says Schumer is reading through Republicans latest DHS funding offer.

Thune says he believes talks to fund DHS are starting to make progress and that Republicans have sent Dems a new offer, but he doesn’t want to share details. “I think the Dems are now in possession of what I think is our last and final. So let's hope this gets it done.”

Trump on DHS shutdown -- "They need to end the shutdown immediately, or we’ll have to take some very drastic measures."

Passengers pack airport security lines as US Senate remains snarled over DHS shutdown www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pass...

Trump EPA to ease restrictions on summer ethanol-blend sales as gas prices soar. Story for @statesnewsroom.com:

Casey Means nomination for surgeon general still appears to be in limbo with Help Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy responding “no comment” when I asked whether she could get to votes to advance to the floor.

NEWS: Thune just rejected Dems latest DHS funding offer and told us the Senate will vote later today on a spending bill for the department that doesn't include Enforcement and Removal Operations.

Schumer: "This morning Democrats sent Republicans our counteroffer on legislation to reopen DHS, pay TSA workers, while at the same time rein in ICE with common sense guardrails."

House Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries says after meeting with Schumer that he expects a new DHS funding offer will be “forthcoming.” “I'm not going to characterize it. This is a back and forth between Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans. We have full visibility into it.”

Thune says Dems haven’t yet sent their counteroffer on DHS funding. “We’ll see what they propose. It seems to me, at least though, that, you know, they wanted to defund ICE, and that's kind of the offer on the table.”

Speaker Johnson says he’s “glad” to know Senate Republicans are going to begin work on a reconciliation package. Says it’s “possible” additional funding for the war in Iran will be included in that bill.

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham releases a statement that the panel will “expeditiously move toward creating a second budget reconciliation bill.”

Trump, once again, gives his FEMA review council more time to submit its report, extending the deadline until May 29. This is one of the many things Markwayne Mullin will oversee as the new DHS secretary.

Lawmakers spar over Homeland Security funding deal as shutdown strains airport security w/ Shauneen Miranda www.newsfromthestates.com/article/lawm...

Supreme Court majority seems to back Trump policy turning away asylum-seekers at US border www.newsfromthestates.com/article/supr...

Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Tulsa businessman Alan Armstrong to serve as Oklahoma’s next U.S. senator.  buff.ly/y3hK8j4