Mike Johnson

Congressional leaders neared the unveiling of a spending agreement Tuesday that will keep the federal government funded through March 14 and provide more than $100 billion in natural disaster aid.

The president did not trade any stocks during his 36-year Senate career, said then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki in 2022.

Missouri Republican Rep. Eric Burlison called the speaker's funding plan presented at the conference meeting a "total dumpster fire."

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Rabbi Levi Shemtov host the U.S. Capitol Hanukkah event with a ceremonial Menorah lighting at 3 p.m. ET on Dec. 17.

The House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight released its report investigating the alleged failings of the Jan. 6 committee, calling for an investigation into former Rep.Cheney.

Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., leaves a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus about the candidacy of President Joe Biden at the Democratic National Committee on Tuesday, July 9, 2024.

Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz, of Indiana, said Monday that she will focus her time in next year’s Congress on furthering Elon Musk’s mission to slash trillions of dollars in government spending and will not caucus with Republicans or sit on any committees. In her announcement, which was posted to social media, Spartz made clear that she’s still a member of the GOP but is taking these steps to avoid the “circuses” of her party.“I will stay as a registered Republican but will not sit on committees or participate in the caucus until I see that Republican leadership in Congress is governing,” Spartz said.“I do not need to be involved in circuses. I would rather spend more of my time helping @DOGE and @RepThomasMassie to save our Republic, as was mandated by the American people,” she added, referring to the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. The Delivering Outstanding Government Efficiency caucus will allegedly work in tandem with the toothless DOGE led by mega-billionaire Elon Musk and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.xI will stay as a registered Republican but will not sit on committees or participate in the caucus until I see that Republican leadership in Congress is governing. I do not need to be involved in circuses. I would rather spend more of my time helping @DOGE and @RepThomasMassie to... https://t.co/ZNju2jvNHk— Rep. Victoria Spartz (@RepSpartz) December 16, 2024Spartz’s decision confused some of her colleagues. But sources told Politico that her seemingly sudden announcement came after Spartz was passed over for a sought-after post on the House Ways and Means Committee.While Spartz waits until her party can begin “governing” efficiently, she said that she will spend her time focusing on Musk and Ramaswamy’s efforts to take a chainsaw to federal spending. But it’s unclear what effect, if any, she’ll have in the accompanying congressional caucus—especially because DOGE will have a subcommittee of its own, chaired by onetime 9/11 denialist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.Despite no one understanding how the DOGE caucus will work, many Republicans (and some Democratic legislators) are foaming at the mouth for the chance to work with President-elect Donald Trump’s planned advisory committee. Trump, for his part, has said that the Musk-led group will advise him on how to slash public expenditures, while Musk has pledged to find as much as $2 trillion in spending to be cut. But again, as DOGE is a commission and not a government agency or department, it does not actually have any power.So it’s clear that Spartz’s decision to buck Republicans has less to do with her being willing to prioritize the health of the country and more to do with her petty quibbles with leadership.Don’t be misled: Spartz is a tried-and-true conservative. On Monday, she aligned herself with the hardline conservative House Freedom Caucus and said that she supported the group’s proposal to crack down on immigration and deport millions of undocumented immigrants.xI fully support @freedomcaucus and @realDonaldTrump’s team two-step approach. We need time to deliver on major fiscal policy reforms with proper offsets.I will NOT vote for a rushed slush fund some in @HouseGOP would like to push to appease the swamp. We were elected to govern! https://t.co/sST8ROdmKU— Rep. Victoria Spartz (@RepSpartz) December 16, 2024But Spartz has, at times, butted heads with members of her party. When House Republicans, in January 2023, were working to elect a new House speaker, she repeatedly voted “present” instead of casting a ballot in former Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid.More recently, in November, Spartz issued a statement titled, “GOP Will Show Courage or Go to Hell,” where she slammed her party for its supposed lack of bravery.“Aristotle once said that courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others. The American people gave us another chance to restore our Republic, but it might be our last chance,” the statement read. “If my party betrays the American people and does not show courage to stand up to the DC ‘money machine’ and address the looming fiscal calamity, we will not deserve another chance.”The immediate question following Spartz’s announcement on Monday was whether her decision would further imperil House Republicans’ already razor-thin vote margin. After the final House race was called, Republicans were slated to hold a five-seat majority in the chamber. But with former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz resigning after his failed bid for attorney general, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz set to resign to become national security adviser, and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik leaving to become the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, that number could shrink even further. Any uncertainty could make things especially difficult for the GOP caucus and House Speaker Mike Johnson. Spartz, for her part, may want to spend some of her newfound free time figuring out how to retain her office staff. According to the congressional database Legistorm, the congresswoman has a turnover rate of 3.5 times the 2024 House average. Earlier this year, she also reportedly threw furniture at terrified staffers. You can help ensure that Daily Kos remains the home for our shared fight for democracy and justice. Can you chip in to help us close the books on 2024 and keep Daily Kos strong in 2025 and beyond?

'The [continuing resolution] is coming together. Bipartisan work is ongoing,' the House speaker told reporters during a Dec. 17 press conference.

'Border security must move first'

More than a month after the November election, Iowa-based pollster Ann Selzer still is searching for answers.

President-elect Donald Trump's lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution's suggestion of preserving the verdict.

People in President-elect Trump's orbit are pushing Speaker Johnson and House Republicans to take up the Kids Online Safety Act.

Donald Trump's pick to lead the FBI lacks proper experience and is on the record saying Trump should seek retribution from his political enemies.

A strong majority of Americans believe the federal government should ensure everyone has health care coverage, according to a poll from Gallup released Monday. And that finding stands in direct conflict with President-elect Donald Trump’s desire to replace the Affordable Care Act, which has nearly halved the uninsured rate since 2013. Gallup’s poll, conducted Nov. 6-20, found that 62% of U.S. adults think it’s the government’s responsibility to ensure all Americans have coverage—the highest percentage that Gallup has registered for this position since 2007. It’s a stance held by 65% of independents and 32% of Republicans as well as 90% of Democrats.xDatawrapper Content

Senate Republicans under incoming leader John Thune, seen in the Capitol last month, are planning as much as $85 billion for border security as part of an initial bill for budget reconciliation. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

House Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, is signaling he could withhold support from this year's defense policy bill.

While Pete Ricketts was governor, he spent serious money supporting state senators – and opposing fellow Republicans who had displeased him. Longtime observers say that money helped morph the Legislature.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk and conservative activist Vivek Ramaswamy on Thursday began in-person discussions with congressional Republicans about ways they could slash federal spending and regulations once President-elect Donald Trump takes office.Trump has tasked Musk and Ramaswamy with issuing recommendations to overhaul the federal budget and bureaucracy — a goal that many Republicans say they agree with, but also one that presidents and Congresses under both parties, as well as divided governments, have repeatedly failed to deliver on.Musk and Ramaswamy traveled to Capitol Hill for a series of meetings with House and Senate members. It was their first such trip since their appointment by Trump as outside advisers, heading up a commission called the Department of Government Efficiency. DOGE is also the name of an internet meme and a cryptocurrency.“This is a brainstorming session,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told reporters between meetings. He said the talks are “laying the groundwork” for what lawmakers will do next year.They have their work cut out for them.Trump oversaw an increase in deficits during his first term, even before the Covid-19 pandemic. In his 2024 campaign, he promised to preserve two of the most expensive parts of the budget — Social Security and Medicare — beyond “cutting waste and fraud.” He also called for trillions of dollars in additional tax breaks on tips and overtime, in addition to extending his 2017 tax cuts, which would all add to the debt. And most congressional Republicans are determined to continue increasing military spending, another large slice of the pie.Musk, one of the world’s wealthiest people, has potential leverage over congressional Republicans because of his willingness to spend some of his vast fortune on politics, and his recent proximity to Trump. As recently as Sunday, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has repeatedly warned Republicans to get in line behind Trump’s priorities or else face a primary challenge in 2026.Great @DOGE meeting with @elonmusk, @VivekGRamaswamy, @SpeakerJohnson, and X-Æ-12 pic.twitter.com/WRXQoz7MGY— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) December 5, 2024 Officially, though, the roles for Musk and Ramaswamy are only advisory. They won’t be in the government and instead will be sending recommendations to the Trump White House, with a deadline of July 4, 2026.Musk’s newfound political influence follows his campaigning for Trump over the summer and fall. His super PAC, America PAC, spent more than $152 million to boost Trump and other Republicans, with much of the money coming from Musk and his friends, according to disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Musk also held events for Trump in swing state Pennsylvania and turned X, which he owns, into a megaphone for pro-Trump views.Ramaswamy, a former biotech executive, ran in the Republican primary for president and lost to Trump before later endorsing him.Musk has repeatedly faced questions about potential conflicts of interest in advising on the federal budget. SpaceX is a major federal contractor, including with the Defense Department and NASA. And, according to Ramaswamy, one of their potential targets is a $6.6 billion loan to electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive, a competitor to Tesla. Musk has not said how or if he plans to resolve those conflicts.One lawmaker, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said Thursday it was too early to anticipate the priorities for cuts but that loosening regulation by administrative action and through Congress would be a good place to start.“There are tens of billions of dollars in regulatory relief that are on the table now,” Tillis said.The U.S. budget was $6.1 trillion in fiscal year 2023, according to the Peterson Foundation.Still, Tillis called the Thursday conversation an “organizational meeting” — akin to “an engagement meeting I’d have with a client.”Speaking to reporters in between meetings, Musk reiterated his support for ending tax credits to encourage electric vehicle sales, aligning with Republicans who are eying cuts to clean energy funding.“I think we should get rid of all credits,” he said in response to a reporter’s question about tax credits for electric vehicles. (Musk has previously said that EV credits help Tesla’s competitors.)Musk said little else as he walked through the Capitol’s corridors with one of his children. The billionaire was followed so closely by Capitol Hill reporters, he said, “It’s like there’s ambient press.”Once DOGE is established, Musk and Ramaswamy will have a small office of 10 to 12 staffers under the executive office of the president who will work closely with the Office of Management and Budget, a source involved in the effort told NBC News.They will also have individuals within each federal department and agency who operate as DOGE liaisons, the source said. Musk and Ramaswamy are seeking individuals with business backgrounds with an interest in “gutting bureaucracy” to fill those roles. “A lot of these folks will be lawyers or have previous experience at that agency,” the source said.Musk has shown a willingness to consider cuts to some of the federal government’s most popular programs including Social Security. On Monday, he shared a post on X from Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, advocating an overhaul of Social Security into something like individual retirement accounts. “Interesting thread,” Musk wrote.Thursday morning, Musk met with incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., while Ramaswamy met separately behind closed doors with a group of 15 Senate Republicans for a little over an hour. In the afternoon, they met with a larger group of House and Senate members.Leaving the meeting with Ramaswamy, senators told NBC News that it was a positive conversation and consisted of an “exchanging of ideas,” as Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., put it. But they would not divulge specific policies discussed inside.A source familiar with the private meeting in the afternoon told NBC News that the gathering turned into an “open mic session” featuring “an airing of grievances from House members who want Elon and Vivek to solve all their problems.”Some Democrats have expressed interest in working with Musk and Ramaswamy to reduce spending and regulations. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., posted on X on Thursday that Congress should model its efforts on a World War II-era committee led by then-Sen. Harry Truman.“Let’s look to the Truman Committee and ensure Americans get their money’s worth with DOD spending,” he wrote.While GOP efforts to reduce the size of the federal government and end wasteful spending are not new, senators did not offer much in terms of how this effort would be different or possibly more successful.“You’re way too ahead,” Tillis said when asked about budget deficits.Leaving the meeting, Ramaswamy also declined to answer reporters’ questions.In the 2024 election, Republicans won a 53-vote Senate majority and a paper-thin House majority of 220-215. Those slim margins could give Democrats some influence over the outcome, and some of them mock the new Musk-led effort as a punchline.“DOGE is not real. Just because someone says there is now a department of so and so does not mean the actual department now exists,” said Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., the ranking member of the Budget Committee.“Republicans are total hypocrites when it comes to deficit and debt. ... Trump added more to the national debt than any president in American history,” Boyle continued. “So I have seen this movie before. I have absolutely no doubt that if Trump is able to ram through a second round of his tax cuts, then it will explode the national debt.”Veterans of past failed debt-reform efforts, including the Obama-era bipartisan “super committee” of 2011, doubt the DOGE will be more successful unless it’s willing to take on sacred cows.“If past is prologue, the DOGE faces an uphill climb. It’s not yet clear what authority or reach the DOGE has, but managing the federal budget cannot be done through talking points,” said Zach Mallove, a lobbyist who worked as a policy aide to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., when she co-chaired the super committee.Mallove said lawmakers will have to accept some “political pain” for it to be meaningful. “In the end, the math just doesn’t add up: with a $1.7 trillion annual discretionary budget, you cannot cut $2 trillion without tapping into the country’s social safety net.”This article first appeared on NBCNews.com. Read more from NBC News here:Family of Missouri teen who fell to his death on Orlando free-fall ride gets $310 million verdictEx-Proud Boys Leader dodges questions at trial of officer charged with feeding him intelHouse votes against releasing Matt Gaetz ethics report for now

The House has shut down Democrats’ efforts to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz. The party line vote pushes the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. Democrats...

Republicans pushed the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty.

The House voted Thursday to beat back a Democratic effort to make public a potentially scathing ethics report on former Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-Fla.) conduct. Why it matters: The 206-198 vote came shortly after Ethics Committee members met behind closed doors on the matter. Republicans on the panel last month blocked the findings pertaining to Gaetz from becoming public. Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) forced a vote on the matter, which the House voted to refer back to the Ethics panel. A sizable number of lawmakers have called for the report's release, even after Gaetz resigned his House seat when President-elect Trump tapped him as his attorney general nominee.Gaetz later withdrew himself from consideration. Catch up quick: There has been a dispute over whether releasing a report dealing with the actions of a former member would break precedent, with some conservative members advocating for a wide range of sealed ethics reports to become public if Gaetz's does.The panel deadlocked in November on whether to release its report, thus keeping it under wraps.The panel was investigating Gaetz for a litany of allegations including sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, all of which he denies.Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) came out against the report's release following Gaetz's resignation.What's next: While Gaetz is no longer in Congress, he is widely expected to run for Florida governor in 2026.

The two offered little insight into their project, though Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said the two would be keeping a "naughty list" of certain lawmakers.

Trans rights protesters were arrested Thursday after occupying a bathroom on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., over a policy barring trans people from using restrooms that match their gender identity.

Pete Hegseth spent a second straight day courting support from GOP senators on Capitol Hill amid accusations ranging from fiscal mismanagement to alcoholism and sexual misconduct.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy met with members of the House and the Senate on Thursday to discuss plans for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

'Democrats, grow a spine! Trans rights are on the line'

Patel has called for radical changes at the FBI and was a critic of the bureau’s work as it investigated ties between Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Republicans now account for nearly 50% of Nebraska voters, according to state data, which also shows a growing number of voters are ditching both parties and becoming nonpartisan.

'Trump has enormous power in the budget,' economist and fiscal expert Chris Edwards says.

Donald Trump is creating a National Energy Council that he says will establish U.S. “energy dominance” around the world. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will head it.

Kash Patel has called for radical changes at the FBI and was a fierce and vocal critic of the bureau’s work as it investigated ties between Russia and Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

In recent years, Virginia has become the epicenter of America’s struggle between two possible future paths on climate policy, Citizens Climate Lobby's Chris Wiegard writes in a guest column.

Former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-Fla.) time in Congress may be over, but the saga over the House Ethics Committee’s report on its years-long investigation into him is in its final act. Two Democrats who moved to force votes requiring the Ethics panel to release its report have signaled they will continue that push, which could [...]

Among those targeted was New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick to serve as the next UN ambassador. A family member of Matt Gaetz also received a bomb threat.

The attacks ranged from bomb threats to swatting, in which attackers initiate an emergency law enforcement response against a target victim under false pretenses.

With votes still being counted in the 2024 election, at least two dozen ambitious House members are already sizing up runs for higher office in 2026, Axios has learned.Why it matters: This extraordinarily large cohort could cause all kinds of headaches for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as they navigate a razor-thin House majority.Both sides are trying to maximize attendance and minimize early retirements in one of the most closely divided Houses in history.Driving the news: The scale of House members eyeing bids for higher office in 2026 is far greater than is publicly known, according to lawmakers and aides who spoke to Axios.Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told Axios that "folks have talked about" him running for governor and that he is "not actively seeking it nor ruling it out."Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) is being encouraged to run for governor and considering it, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.) is weighing running for Senate if Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) retires, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) may run for Vice President-elect Vance's Senate seat if outgoing Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) doesn't, sources told Axios.Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is also considering a run for governor, according to sources familiar with her thinking.Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) is seen as a potential candidate for governor, Axios previously reported.Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), who has floated a run for governor, is also considering vying to replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), according to sources familiar with the matter.Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) is a potential candidate for statewide office in Colorado, several senior House Democrats told Axios.Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is being encouraged to run for governor, a source familiar with the matter told Axios, though he hasn't publicly indicated any plans to do so.Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told Axios he is "considering both" challenging Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) or a run for governor.Zoom in: Those names are on top of a slew of House members already publicly running or considering bids for other offices.Considering a run for governor: Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), John Rose (R-Tenn.) and Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.).Considering a run for Senate: Reps. Andy Barr (R-Ky.), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) Clay Higgins (R-La.), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.).Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) are both running in the 2025 New Jersey governor election.Several House members, including Reps. Mike Carey (R-Ohio) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), are also vying for Vance's Senate seat.Zoom out: House members have been fleeing the lower chamber at a historic clip in recent years, with many saying the body is dysfunctional and toxic.Congressional leaders will also have to deal with cash-strapped members looking to potentially jump ship early for a private-sector payout.Between the lines: Some members just want to keep their names in the mix or boost their name ID. Others will have to undergo a genuine deliberation process.Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), seen as a potential candidate for governor or Senate in 2026, "will have political options" but is spending most of his time on "how Republicans can be successful in the 119th" Congress, a source close to him told Axios.Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), floated as a potential Senate candidate, is focused "on the upcoming Congress and hasn't made any decisions about 2026 yet, but is committed to working to ensure Democrats win back control of the Senate and the House," a spokesperson said.

Iowa Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks squared up against Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan in the race for the state's 1st Congressional District.

The North Texas Republican caught many Capitol observers off guard when he emerged as the standard-bearer for a coalition that wants to depose Phelan.

From the commentary, "Transgender Americans are right to be afraid. These people are not afraid to put down a duly elected member of Congress. Where does that leave others?"

Trump's choices don't have experience running large bureaucratic agencies, but they know how to talk about health on TV.

The Florida Republican is the nominee to be the next U.S. Attorney General, a position that comes with “extraordinary power.” Committee findings, which could shed light on whether he’s worthy of that lofty post, shouldn’t be kept secret.

Prosecutors oppose any effort to dismiss Donald Trump's hush money conviction, but they expressed openness Tuesday to delaying sentencing until after his second term.

Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

With President-elect Donald Trump selecting House members for roles in his second administration, concerns have been raised about House Republicans' shrinking majority.

The Department of Health and Human Services' reach is massive.

Senate Minority Whip earned another endorsement in his bid to succeed Mitch McConnell as Republican leader.

President-elect Donald Trump is moving quickly to install immigration hardliners into prominent White House posts, suggesting his promise to implement sweeping new restrictions on migration and launch a mass deportation program could take priority in the first days of his...

Democrat Cleo Fields has won a Louisiana congressional race in a recently redrawn second majority-Black district