Senate Democrats Seek to End DHS Shutdown While Blocking GOP Efforts Senate Democrats have expressed a desire to conclude the government shutdown but have repeatedly obstructed Republican efforts to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as they push for immigration enforcement reforms. On Friday, Senator Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., stated at a news conference following an antisemitic attack on the Temple Israel synagogue in her state that "certainly" Congress must fund DHS. However, Slotkin and most Senate Democrats have voted four times to block DHS funding, including several attempts to temporarily reopen the agency while negotiations continue. Slotkin is among several Senate Democrats advocating for an end to the shutdown. Republicans argue that these votes are part of a broader Democratic strategy to shift blame for the shutdown onto them. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other Democrats have shifted their approach, aiming to reopen most of DHS while blaming Republicans for blocking their efforts. Senator Roger Marshall, R-Kan., criticized Democrats for attempting to deflect responsibility, stating, "Well, that’s what they do, right? And they're good at it. They're really good at it." He noted that Democrats have voted against funding DHS four times. Schumer accused Republicans of using federal workers from agencies under DHS, such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as "hostages." He asserted, "I remind my Republican colleagues, we're going to be back here again and again, winning this debate and eventually winning the American people.#department_of_homeland_security #senate_democrats #transportation_security_administration #chuck_schumer #federal_emergency_management_agency
Trump’s top priority is splitting Republicans — and could reshape the Senate The Senate GOP’s most consequential fight this week may not be with Democrats, but among Republicans themselves. As the United States continues its military standoff with Iran and the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down, the Senate is preparing to take up what President Donald Trump has called his “No. 1 priority”: an election overhaul bill known as the SAVE America Act. Trump has also threatened to refuse to sign any other legislation until the bill passes. But rather than building momentum, the president’s pressure campaign has exposed deep divisions among Republicans over whether to upend the Senate’s rules to force the bill through. The measure is all but destined to fail under current rules. Because the Senate filibuster requires 60 votes to advance most legislation, Republicans would need support from Democratic senators who have shown no interest in backing the bill. At the same time, many Republicans remain wary of eliminating the decades-old rule simply to satisfy Trump’s demands. Still, the long odds haven’t stopped hard-line conservatives from pushing for a rules change—or stopped Trump from urging Republicans to go all-in on an overhaul of election laws. In an effort to partially appease the party’s right wing, Senate leaders plan to allow an extended series of floor speeches and votes next week. But they are stopping short of touching the filibuster itself—at least for now. Leaders will “give everybody as much time as possible,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., told MS NOW on Thursday. “So I don’t know how long. It depends on who wants to talk, but I imagine it’s going to be a long week.#donald_trump #save_america_act #chuck_schumer #senate_filibuster #john_cornyn
Chuck Schumer criticized a Trump administration briefing on the US war with Iran, calling it more questions than answers. The Senate’s Democratic minority leader said the officials’ responses to congressional inquiries were “completely and totally insufficient” during a closed-door meeting at the Capitol. He left the session without answering reporters’ questions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth participated in the classified briefing, with other officials expected to share their perspectives soon. President Donald Trump outlined his administration’s goals in the conflict, vowing to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, dismantle its navy, prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons, and stop Iran from funding terrorist groups abroad. He did not call for the Iranian people to resist their government, a stance he had previously advocated. Trump also noted the war had exceeded his initial four-to-five-week estimate, emphasizing the US’s ability to sustain operations for longer. During a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth initially claimed US troops would not be in Iran but later avoided specifying details, stating, “This is not Iraq. This is not endless.” Central Command confirmed six service members were killed and 18 wounded in the US-Israel strike on Iran. Rubio defended the attack as “preemptive” to protect US forces from retaliation after learning Israel planned strikes. However, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner disputed the claim, arguing there was no imminent threat to the US, only to Israel. The State Department urged Americans to leave Middle Eastern countries following the strikes, with hundreds of thousands stranded in Gulf states as airspace over major airports like Dubai and Abu Dhabi closed.#pete_hegseth #marco_rubio #chuck_schumer #john_ratcliffe #mark_warner
