All articles tagged with #capitol hill
A chaotic week on Capitol Hill saw Republicans push back against President Trump, including a rare rebuke from Senate Majority Leader John Thune after Trump urged lawmakers to fire the Senate parliamentarian, signaling growing GOP dissent as Trump’s influence wanes.
Trump’s $1.776 billion settlement to create an “anti-weaponization” fund has drawn limited defense on Capitol Hill, with most supporters coming from the administration and critics arguing the terms lack accountability and judicial oversight. The fund would empower five Trump-appointed commissioners to distribute money with confidentiality and little requirement for court involvement, and even permit immunity for Trump, his sons, and his business in past tax issues. Critics compare it unfavorably to court-approved settlements like Keepseagle, and concerns about funding those who weren’t plaintiffs (including some January 6 defendants) and about weaponizing government persist. A rare Republican defender hedges his support, underscoring that the overarching principle is avoiding political weaponization rather than endorsing the settlement’s specifics, while lawmakers promise congressional oversight.
Democrats are staging a marathon 'vote-a-rama' on the Senate floor to pressure vulnerable GOP incumbents over Trump priorities, targeting issues from immigration enforcement and the Iran war to the controversial $1.8 billion DOJ 'anti-weaponization' fund. Republicans are pushing their own amendments to curb the fund and advance Trump-aligned measures, while trying to move a reconciliation package before Memorial Day. In parallel, House Republicans are drafting legislation to kill the fund, and lawmakers are holding a high-profile Epstein-related interview, underscoring deep partisan divisions and ongoing investigations as leadership races to clear a bill.
Sen. Bill Cassidy says he has no regrets about voting to convict Donald Trump in the 2021 impeachment, arguing he upheld the Constitution even as it cost him his Louisiana seat in a Trump-endorsed primary defeat. Returning to Washington, Cassidy defended his stance and signaled he may weigh in on upcoming votes, while criticizing a new fund tied to Trump allies; fellow Republicans largely avoided commenting on his loss as a June runoff between Julia Letlow and John Fleming looms. Lisa Murkowski expressed regret that Cassidy won’t be back in the Senate.
With the Memorial Day recess looming, lawmakers from both parties are racing to advance a package of bipartisan bills—ranging from affordable housing and college athletics to cryptocurrency taxation, energy-permitting reform, AI governance, manufacturing, and a reauthorized public lands package—before the midterms. Trump’s push to attach the SAVE Act to these measures threatens their passage, and GOP hard-liners or ballroom-security funding disputes add further obstacles. Yet several lawmakers say they want to make real progress, signaling a concerted push to demonstrate productivity on Capitol Hill.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano and Sheriff Stacey Kincaid testified before a House Judiciary subcommittee on sanctuary policies, defending their office’s immigration-related charging and detainer practices amid scrutiny from lawmakers. The hearing spotlighted concerns about leniency toward illegal-immigrant defendants, the handling of detainers in high-profile cases like Abdul Jalloh, and emails urging charges not to be dropped, while victims’ families pushed for accountability and policy changes to protect public safety.
Rep. Mike Lawler says he was accosted by Rand Paul’s son, William, who launched a 10-minute antisemitic tirade; Paul later apologized on X, attributing his remarks to drinking and saying he’s seeking help. Lawler, representing a district with a substantial Jewish population, pledged to continue defending his constituents. The live updates roundup also notes Denise Powell’s Nebraska primary win, a House vote to allow year-round E15 ethanol, a data breach affecting lawmakers’ prescription data, and additional Capitol Hill developments.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told centrist GOP lawmakers that the Secret Service cannot private‑fund security for President Trump’s White House ballroom project and urged approval of about $1 billion in new funding (up to $220 million could go to the ballroom). The move signals White House pressure on immigration‑enforcement legislation amid GOP concerns. The day’s live updates also cover a Capitol prescription‑data breach affecting lawmakers, an ethics inquiry into Rep. Edwards, and other Capitol Hill items including housing reform, Kid online safety, a crypto bill, Ukraine aid, an ethanol vote, and Iran war oversight.
Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee say Kevin Warsh hasn’t built the bipartisan Capitol Hill support that helped Jerome Powell survive Trump, signaling a likely highly partisan confirmation and greater congressional oversight of the Fed.
House Republicans are accelerating plans for a sweeping party‑line budget reconciliation package (reconciliation 3.0) aimed for completion by July/August, but internal divisions loom over its scope. A central dispute is a proposed $1 billion for Secret Service security tied to President Trump’s ballroom project, prompting calls for an itemized justification and sparking concerns about optics amid rising costs; Secret Service briefings and Byrd Bath discussions are underway as GOP leaders seek votes. Other Capitol Hill stories in the mix include Democrats pressing oversight on Epstein settlements and ongoing debates over crypto ethics language in legislation, underscoring broad jockeying over policy priorities.
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. remains off the Hill due to a personal medical issue and has not voted since March, as a broad Capitol Hill agenda unfolds with Democrats pressing to attach ethics language to a major cryptocurrency bill amid GOP pushback; the day also covers debates over a $1 billion Secret Service funding tied to Trump’s ballroom project, Warsh’s Fed Board confirmation, Luna’s possible bid for RNC chair, and backlash against Rep. Jen Kiggans for a racist remark—reflecting a busy, fractious political landscape.
President Trump’s proposal to suspend the federal gasoline tax is drawing attention on Capitol Hill but faces early GOP skepticism and concerns about funding the Highway Trust Fund; Hawley has introduced a 90-day halt, while others seek offsets or general-fund replacements, highlighting budget deficits as lawmakers weigh pump-relief against long-term financing in a period of high gas prices.
TMZ’s DC team explains bringing their Hollywood-style, transparent reporting to Capitol Hill—talking with lawmakers, pursuing official credentials, denying paid tips, and mixing accessible conversations with serious, fact-based journalism.
During four days of Senate hearings, Health Secretary RFK Jr. stated that his department “promotes the M.M.R.” and has advised every child to receive the measles–mumps–rubella vaccine, signaling a shift from his earlier vaccine criticisms and framing the guidance as policy rather than personal advice. Democrats pressed him on why he hadn’t publicly urged universal vaccination before, while he defended his stance by arguing that sanitation and hygiene, not vaccines alone, drove earlier disease declines. He cited a 2000 Pediatrics study to support his point, though critics note the study also highlighted the vaccines’ role in virtually eliminating deaths from diseases like polio and measles. The exchange occurred amid ongoing debates over vaccine messaging during measles outbreaks.
Health Secretary RFK Jr. will be grilled in a marathon congressional hearing over his vaccine policies, leadership changes at the agency, and the department’s budget, as vaccines debates and midterm politics shape the questions.