ICYMI: Democrats and a couple of Republicans included a significant provision in their CR that would delay the Trump White House and the OMB from finalizing a grantmaking rule change it proposed in May.

TPM@talkingpointsmemo.com · 2d ago

Earlier this year, the OMB proposed a rule that seeks to modify how grant award decisions are made, allowing them to be made by political appointees and based on political calculations.

Beshear’s letter comes as McConnell and the Office of the Attending Physician released an update on the senator’s condition on Monday.

Kentucky Gov. Demands McConnell Give Verbal Address as Proof He Can Serve

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) has once again formally requested proof of...

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Thune’s response to Trump: “If somebody can show me how we get an outcome … I’m all for it.” “We could stay here until Christmas and the Democrats aren't voting for this and Republicans are not getting rid of the legislative filibuster.”

TPM@talkingpointsmemo.com · last wk.

Trump’s call for the Senate to stay in town comes just after one of the bill’s most passionate advocates — Sen. Mike Lee — called on Thune to cancel the scheduled recess over the weekend.

Senate fails to advance their Iran WPR in a 47-49 vote. Two Rs (Paul & Murkowski) who previously voted in favor of the WPR did not vote. And Cassidy, who also supported it before, voted no. Collins was a Yes. Fetterman also voted against it.

Emine Yücel@emineirmakyucel.bsky.social · 2w ago

The House and Senate are expected to vote again on Iran war powers resolutions today. That comes as airstrikes continue. It’s been 12 straight days of bombings. Trump warned yesterday that the U.S. would destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

The House passed their Iran WPR again, 214-208. Rs supporting: Fitzpatrick, Davidson, Barrett & Massie

Emine Yücel@emineirmakyucel.bsky.social · 2w ago

The House and Senate are expected to vote again on Iran war powers resolutions today. That comes as airstrikes continue. It’s been 12 straight days of bombings. Trump warned yesterday that the U.S. would destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

The House and Senate are expected to vote again on Iran war powers resolutions today. That comes as airstrikes continue. It’s been 12 straight days of bombings. Trump warned yesterday that the U.S. would destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Sen. Cornyn's office said he got “confirmation that all unobligated PEPFAR funds expiring in September will be obligated as expeditiously as possible."

Cornyn Threatens to Block Trump Noms Over Unreleased PEPFAR Funds — And Quickly Relents

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Tuesday threatened to vote against President Donald...

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Trump’s post comes as House Republican leadership is gearing up for a floor vote this week on the budget resolution the budget panel advanced out of committee last week.

Trump Comes to Terms With the Fact That the Entire SAVE Act Can’t Be Stuffed in Budget Bill 

President Donald Trump posted on his favorite social media platform Monday morning,...

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In the Weekender: ranking some of Trump's most absurd pardons @emineirmakyucel.bsky.social on the GOP's Save Act Lite (ie plot to distract Trump) Hegseth being a huge weirdo about testosterone @rothschildmd.bsky.social on Butler 2024 vs. Dallas 1963 + more talkingpointsmemo.com/the-weekende...

Fraudsters, Politicos and Trump Pals: Ranking Trump’s Most Egregious Pardons

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Brian W. Lynch is co-director of a national task force to implement NSPM-7. He marched on the Capitol on January 6, I confirmed today talkingpointsmemo.com/news/exclusi...

EXCLUSIVE: Trump DOJ’s Top ‘Antifa’ Prosecutor Marched with Crowd on Jan. 6

On Jan. 6, 2021, a man approached the Capitol who looked like...

talkingpointsmemo.com

"Just to be clear, the President ... has not agreed in writing to delete the weaponization fund?" Cornyn asked, adding that there is no guarantee that he doesn't file a breach of contract lawsuit in the future. Blanche admitted that “they could bring a lawsuit and then we would litigate it.”

TPM@talkingpointsmemo.com · 3w ago

After his round of questioning, Cornyn suggested that he was unsatisfied with Blanche's response to questions about the slush fund: "Well he basically confirmed that it’s not dead," he told CNN.

🫠🫠🫠

Sen. Tillis also pushed back on the slush fund, saying that they should pass a legislation in Congress to make sure this does not go forward. Blanche says he is in support of that. He said the same thing to Cornyn.

Cornyn told CNN he is "undecided" on how he will be voting for the Blanche nomination. During the hearing, he questioned Blanche about the so-called "anti-weaponization" fund

CORNYN: The president, who's a plaintiff in this lawsuit, has not agreed in writing to delete the weaponization fund, and there's no guarantee that he or one of the other plaintiffs might raise that issue by way of a breach of contract lawsuit? BLANCHE: I suppose they could bring a lawsuit

Cornyn pointed out: there is no update/change to the part of the agreement that is about the slush fund, they are just simply taking Trump's word on it

Nicole LaFond@nicolelafond.bsky.social · 3w ago

Cornyn's qs for Blanche on Trump's slush fund are v mild, but they focus on a key point: Trump "has not agreed in writing to delete the weaponization fund & there's no guarantee that he or one of the other plaintiffs might raise that issue by way of ... a breach of contract lawsuit in the future."

Todd Blanche is currently testifying in front of the Senate Judiciary Comm for his confirmation hearing. We're about an hour and half into the hearing and so far the line of questioning that has stuck out most to me has been from Sen. Cornyn.

SC Gov. Henry McMaster just announced he is appointing Lindsey Graham's sister to fill out his term until Jan. That comes after President Trump said he is recommending her for the temporary position this AM. Here is a list of people who may be running for the position for the next term:

TPM@talkingpointsmemo.com · 3w ago

Graham's unexpected death triggered a scramble for his now-open seat among various GOP characters in the South Carolina political scene.

You know you are a real Senate sicko if you immediately thought "Who will replace Graham on Budget" and "who will be the top Republican on Judiciary next Congress when Grassley becomes the top Republican on Finance?"

Sen. Adam Schiff on NBC’s Meet the Press says he will introduce a new Iran war powers resolution when the Senate is back in session this upcoming week. That comes after Trump declared the ceasefire dead earlier this week. Hostilities continue.

Sen. Lindsey Graham died suddenly Saturday night, according to a statement from his office. talkingpointsmemo.com/news/lindsey...

Lindsey Graham, Longtime South Carolina Senator, Dies From ‘Brief And Sudden Illness’

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) died Saturday evening from a “brief and sudden...

talkingpointsmemo.com

“Over the last several weeks, Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the current state of your health and wellbeing, and ability to hold office in the United States Senate,” Gov. Beshear wrote in a Wednesday letter to Sen. McConnell.

TPM@talkingpointsmemo.com · 4w ago

Kentucky's Dem Gov. Andy Beshear asked McConnell for a formal update on his health Wednesday, saying "Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned."

Today we kicked off our Annual TPM Journalism Fund Drive. To all our contributors, thank you. To all our readers and members, thank you. Click here to find out more about how you can support our team's work. @talkingpointsmemo.com talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/our-d...

We Need Your Help

It’s time to kick off this year’s Annual TPM Journalism Fund Drive....

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Johnson wants to try to pass the SAVE America Act, which would disenfranchise millions of voters, through the party-line budget reconciliation process. Again.

Johnson Has a Not So New Plan For Passing GOP’s Voter Suppression Bill

For months now, the far-right’s desire to pass the SAVE America Act...

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Probably not the best strategy from Rep. Nehls, claiming maybe majority of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck because they don't work as hard as him ... but what do I know

Nicole LaFond@nicolelafond.bsky.social · last mo.

It’s a stunning message to send at a time when Republicans are looking for ways to bolster their chances of maintaining control of Congress in the fall. But Republicans themselves are not doing a great job of appearing anything other than patently?? tone deaf?? on the issue of affordability:

ICYMI: House Dems grilled OMB Director Russ Vought on his refusal to release appropriated funds in a timely manner during a Tuesday approps hearing. talkingpointsmemo.com/news/vought-...

Vought Claims OMB Won’t Try to Force Congress to Approve More Rescissions This Year — But Leaves Door Open

House Democrats grilled Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought...

talkingpointsmemo.com

Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · last mo.

DeLAURO: Will you commit that you will carry out our spending laws as Congress intended as they were enacted? VOUGHT: We'll make sure we are spending money where you intend us to spend money, but ... DeLAURO: The answer to that then is 'no'

Vought's OMB has been sitting on billions of dollars of congressionally appropriated funds, refusing to apportion and send them out into the agencies in a timely manner — including for life-saving programs.

Vought Claims OMB Won’t Try to Force Congress to Approve More Rescissions This Year — But Leaves Door Open

House Democrats grilled Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought...

talkingpointsmemo.com

POCAN: Do you know how much we've spent on the war on Iran so far? VOUGHT: We've spent about 30,000,000,000 P: People are saying it's more like $100b V: I'm just telling you what I heard from the Dept of War P: I'm just going to remember June 30, 2026, you're saying $30b is what we spent

New: Supreme Court upholds birthright citizenship. Roberts writes for majority, joined by Barrett and the libs. Kavanaugh concurs in part and dissents in part. Jackson writes concurrence joined partially by Sotomayor. Alito, Gorsuch, Thomas all dissent (+ Gorsuch also signs on to Thomas' dissent)

Sen. Cassidy did reportedly get in a shouting match with Trump during that same luncheon. Hours later, he votes "no" on a Iran WPR when he was an "aye" just a day before on a nearly identical WPR

Emine Yücel@emineirmakyucel.bsky.social · last mo.

The abrupt reversal is seemingly in response to Trump reportedly confronting Senate Rs during yesterday's luncheon on the WPR that passed on the Senate floor the day before. Last nights vote sure does look like Senate GOP leadership/caucus trying to appease an angry Trump.