All articles tagged with #capitol hill
Russian delegates met with five U.S. lawmakers on Capitol Hill in a meeting organized by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, drawing swift criticism from pro-Ukraine voices who warn such access poses a security risk and could undermine U.S. policy amid Russia-Ukraine and Russia-Iran tensions; the State Department confirmed the meetings and said a junior official would take notes.
A growing number of House Republicans are expressing concerns about a potential U.S. ground invasion of Iran as thousands of troops are deployed to the Middle East. Democrats are preparing a new war-powers resolution to curb presidential authority, but the vote has been delayed to mid-April to secure more GOP support. Several GOP lawmakers, including veterans, warn against a prolonged conflict and signal possible pushback while leaders balance political risk with scrutiny over military plans and gas prices.
White House budget director Russ Vought is slated to testify before the House Budget Committee on April 15 as the administration prepares to release its budget request for the new fiscal year, with lawmakers expecting the plan as soon as next week amid ongoing delays and the possibility of a supplemental military funding request tied to Iran.
Capitol Hill is gridlocked over DHS funding as the GOP-Trump framework appears to crumble and Democrats accuse Republicans of dropping immigration-enforcement rules, leaving a stalled process ahead of a recess. Trump blasts Democrats for seeking chaos, while Senate leaders keep doors open to extended talks despite attendance issues. In other news, Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick faces a House Ethics trial and possible expulsion, and the House Judiciary advances the Protect American AI Act to ease AI data-center permitting amid broader AI-regulation efforts.
Trump headlines a GOP dinner on Capitol Hill as House and Senate Republicans wrestle with a DHS funding deal and a housing affordability stalemate, with Trump yet to publicly back a framework and leaders unsure of votes or timing. The day’s coverage also includes a bipartisan push to bar members of Congress from trading on prediction markets (the PREDICT Act) and ongoing debates over a second reconciliation package to fund defense, homeland security, and immigration policies, alongside discussions of a potential 18-month extension of the Section 702 surveillance program and related tax/energy policy moves. Meanwhile, leadership turnover and interparty dynamics continue to shape whether a unified GOP agenda can advance before upcoming deadlines.
Rep. Lauren Boebert says she will not vote for any war supplemental to fund the Iran operation, blasting the spending and the industrial-war complex as she’s approached in a Capitol Hill parking lot. The push for a $200 billion funding package is defended by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as necessary to keep current and future operations supplied, even as Trump has called coverage of the Iran war criminal and unpatriotic. Some Democrats have reportedly entertained the possibility of additional funding, underscoring partisan divides over how long and how costly the conflict should continue.
The Senate is poised to pass a bipartisan housing affordability package, but the House GOP is stalemated, with Freedom Caucus members opposing the Senate version and urging a version closer to the House’s own. Speaker Mike Johnson signals potential conference negotiations to bridge the gap as midterms approach. Separately, Republicans are debating a second megabill and a reconciliation package, with Sen. Joni Ernst pushing for billions in savings, indicating continued intraparty jockeying as the GOP seeks policy wins under a fragile majority, with White House pressure seen as likely to help resolve differences.
At a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee hearing on military readiness, a Marine veteran running as a Green Party candidate interrupted to condemn U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran. Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy joined Capitol Police in lifting and ejecting the protester from the room; authorities say the man assaulted officers and faces multiple charges, while the protester and allies allege he was injured and that protests are not allowed inside congressional buildings.
During a highly partisan House Judiciary Committee hearing, Democrats pressed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on alleged misconduct within DHS and incidents involving immigration officers, including detentions of Americans; Noem stayed largely on message as Republicans defended her and pushed a sanctuary-jurisdiction bill, while lawmakers voiced concerns about accountability amid impeachment chatter and ongoing DHS controversies.
A closed Capitol Hill briefing warned that Iran’s Shahed attack drones present a major challenge to U.S. air defenses: they fly low and slow, increasing evasiveness, and officials said Washington may not be able to intercept all of them as tensions with Iran rise and lawmakers debate next steps and potential authorization.
Capitol Hill is trying to avert a GOP revolt over Iran strikes as administration officials brief Congress on the rationale; votes on war-powers resolutions are forming, with Republicans aiming to block while Democrats push for congressional buy-in and guardrails. Separate fights include DHS funding and concerns about energy prices and munitions stockpiles as lawmakers seek more detail and oversight.
Lawmakers brace for briefings and war-powers votes in the Senate and House as Trump’s Iran strikes become a political test, with most Republicans backing the action and Democrats demanding more evidence; the White House says the operation could last about 4-5 weeks, aimed at deterring Iran and possibly defeating the regime, while other Capitol stories include a housing affordability bill, an ethics probe into Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ryan Zinke’s retirement, and heightened Capitol security.
Snow delays and a tense Capitol backdrop set up a charged State of the Union for Trump: a Supreme Court ruling against his tariffs, GOP anxiety over political fallout, and a DHS funding stalemate that could force votes on extending tariffs, all while a compressed schedule elevates the stakes and SOTU guests spotlight health care and immigration costs.
During a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Democratic lawmakers pressed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on oversight of the U.S. financial system, with heated exchanges and interruptions that underscored partisan tensions.
Democrats are pressuring a bipartisan digital assets bill to include ethics guardrails after a $500 million Abu Dhabi–backed investment in a Trump-linked crypto venture provoked fresh concerns, setting up a high-stakes clash with the White House and Republicans who want to move the bill forward. Speakers like Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Adam Schiff say ethics provisions must apply to Trump as to any other federal employee, while Republicans signal willingness to negotiate but largely defer to the White House. The outcome hinges on securing Democratic votes and resolving a separate banking-crypto lobbying dispute as the bill’s fate heads to the Senate floor.