Tim Burchett

WASHINGTON — The effort to change House rules to allow recent mothers and fathers to vote by proxy is picking up steam, and proponents could now circumvent leadership and force a floor vote in the coming weeks.

House Republicans this week passed a government funding bill 217-213 without assistance from Democrats, losing only one vote from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

Rep. Keith Self, who referred to transgender Rep. Sarah McBride, as "Mr. McBride," said he is not obligated to "participate" in McBride's "fantasy."

House Republicans are getting help from the Trump White House to get their bill to avert a partial government shutdown over the line.

House Democrats in districts carried by President Trump are confronting a potentially risky vote next week when GOP leaders are expected to put their partisan government funding bill on the floor. If the vulnerable Democrats support the bill, they’ll defy the position of their own leadership and undermine the party’s argument that the legislation is [...]

After meeting with senators earlier in the day, Musk assuaged House lawmakers on VA job cuts and discussed a path for Congress to codify the efficiency plans.

With a final vote fast approaching, GOP leaders were still working to wrangle support from inside the party for a sweeping multitrillion plan to address defense, energy, immigration and tax policy.

Speaker Mike Johnson, right, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise conduct a news conference in the Capitol Visitor Center on the morning of the budget resolution vote on Tuesday.

House Republicans advanced their budget resolution to enact President Trump’s legislative agenda on Tuesday, teeing the measure up for a final vote even as GOP opponents of the measure appeared to hold firm. The chamber voted 217-211 along party lines to adopt the rule — which governs debate on legislation — for the House GOP’s budget resolution. [...]

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is once again grappling with persistent right-wing defectors ahead of a key budget vote that could come as soon as Tuesday evening.Why it matters: The vote on a budget resolution is the critical first step towards passing the massive fiscal bill that President Trump has put forth."Every time we've had a big vote on the House floor, we're talking to members all the way up until the moment the vote closes," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said at a press conference.But Johnson, acknowledging the uncertainty, told reporters: "There may be a vote tonight, there may not be — stay tuned."State of play: Several GOP lawmakers said Tuesday they remain opposed to the resolution, which would allow for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, a $4 trillion debt ceiling increase and $2 trillion in spending cuts."I'm very straightfoward with my opposition," said Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), telling reporters that "a number of members have concerns."Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told Axios: "I'm still a no."Between the lines: With a 218-215 majority, Republicans may not be able to afford the handful of defections that are currently expected.Democratic leaders are pressing for maximum attendance on their side to ensure Johnson has as little room for error as possible, Axios previously reported.Some Republicans are crossing their fingers that several older or ailing Democrats will be absent: "We can afford to lose three or four, depending on how many Dems show up," said one GOP lawmaker.What we're hearing: In the conference meeting, Republicans framed a vote against the budget resolution as a vote against Trump's agenda, according to lawmakers who were present.One House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Axios that leadership argued "if you don't support this budget resolution, that you're going to slow down the president's agenda — and you yourself will be responsible."That tactic seemed to fall flat with holdouts, however: Spartz said that leadership "shouldn't try to jam members with President Trump."What they're saying: Some rank-and-file Republicans, coming out of the conference meeting, expressed a degree of skepticism that the scheduled 6:30pm vote will go ahead as planned."I don't know that they can pull this together. It's hard to say," says Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.). "Sounds like there's a handful of members that aren't there yet."Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) argued Johnson should hold the vote even if the measure isn't poised to pass: "Roll the dice ... put it on the floor and see."

Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon is among the holdouts that GOP leaders need to win over.

Elon Musk, a man absent from the proceedings, was a major focus—but possible solutions to waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid were addressed too.

As snow falls on D.C., House Republicans push forward on President Donald Trump's agenda with multiple bills and visits to the Capitol.

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace hasn't declared yet but is hinting a run for governor is coming.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk rolled out a measure Thursday that would reform and restructure the federal workforce by focusing on hiring and retaining officials on a merit basis.

The anchor and Tim Burchett kept up their animosity for quite a long time.

Andrew Zabavsky and Terence Sutton Jr. were pardoned by President Donald Trump. The Washington, D.C., police officers were convicted in the 2020 death of a man during a police chase.

'America spoke'

The House subcommittee overseeing President Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is stacked with some of the most outspoken and ideological lawmakers in both parties, Axios has learned.Why it matters: The House Oversight Committee faced a similar dynamic two years ago, predictably leading to some of the 118th Congress' flashiest, most attention-grabbing hearings.Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), whose mere presence on a committee is enough to cause upheaval, will be chairing Oversight's DOGE subcommittee.Several of the GOP members are from the right-wing Freedom Caucus, with other big names such as Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and freshman rising stars like Reps. Brian Jack (R-Ga.) and Brandon Gill (R-Texas). Driving the news: Democrats' members similarly include a healthy number of Congressional Progressive Caucus members, according to a list obtained by Axios.Led by Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), the list features big-name progressive Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) and Greg Casar (D-Texas), the chair of the CPC.It also includes Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), a fiery defender of D.C.'s interests on Capitol Hill, and Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), an Oversight Committee mainstay.Crockett in particular is known for her biting rejoinders in committee hearings and for sparring with firebrand Republicans like Taylor Greene.Between the lines: This is the kind of committee you put together when you're trying to stage the Capitol Hill equivalent of bare-knuckle brawls.Few, if any, of the Republicans and Democrats on this committee are considered bipartisan dealmakers prepared to reach across the aisle on reasonable spending cuts and revenue raisers.What they're saying: Stansbury told Axios' Erin Doherty on Tuesday that she is prepared to fight against Republican attempts to use DOGE to shrink the size of government."All you need to do is see that they put [Rep.] Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) in charge of the committee to know that this is likely going to be very much a political committee," she told Axios.

The new agency is tasked with slashing government waste and providing increased transparency when it comes to government spending. It was created via executive order on Monday.

President-elect Donald Trump speaks to reporters at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Jan. 7. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

President-elect Trump prepares his plans for his first day back in office. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) joins Meet the Press NOW to Mike Johnson's speakership and the new year on Capitol Hill. NBC News campaign embed Alex Tabet profiles President-elect Trump’s pick for Attorney General, Pam Bondi.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) joins Meet the Press NOW to discuss the future of Mike Johnson’s speakership and what’s ahead in the new year on Capitol Hill.

One of the most turbulent sessions of Congress in the modern era is about to make way for the next one

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) averted a government shutdown, but the days-long rollercoaster as the leaders cycled through multiple plans leaves serious questions about how the Speaker will manage the House GOP under President-elect Trump — and whether he can keep his gavel. The intra-party clashes that were on full display this week will be even [...]

More than 30 House Republicans voted against the government funding bill to avert a shutdown on Friday night. The legislation cleared the lower chamber with a 366-34-1 vote, surpassing the two-thirds requirement needed as the Republican House leadership brought it up under the suspension of the rules process. Every member of the Democratic caucus, outside [...]

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) notched a major win Friday by averting a government shutdown, but it has not taken him out of the woods in his fight to retain the speaker's gavel on Jan. 3.Why it matters: Johnson will likely be able to bank just one GOP defection and still win. Many in the right-wing Freedom Caucus aren't committing to vote for him yet."Everybody's got different issues," Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said of his fellow undecideds – including opinions on what Johnson "should be doing to rally support for various issues."Some, he said, wish the notoriously congenial speaker was "more forceful like Nancy Pelosi."State of play: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said this week he will vote for an alternative candidate – burning the single vote Johnson will likely have to spare in his incoming 219-215 majority.Plenty more said they are undecided, including Norman and Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.).Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) floated making Elon Musk speaker, including in a survey sent out by email from her congressional office.Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.), asked after the Friday spending vote whether he will support Johnson on Jan. 3, told Axios: "No comment."What they're saying: Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), another undecided, told Axios on Friday that "it's possible" Johnson will have trouble securing the support he needs."I've heard of many frustrations of people outside the Freedom Caucus" as well as inside, Crane added.After Friday's vote, Norman told Axios: "We can't let this happen again. We've got to force the issue."Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.), who told Axios on Wednesday he was supporting Johnson, declared after the vote Friday he was "now undecided."Between the lines: Johnson, like Kevin McCarthy before him, has faced frequent uprisings from his most right-leaning members for working across the aisle on issues like Ukraine aid and government funding.The right has also pressed GOP leadership to be more willing to shut the government down or even allow the U.S. to default on its debts in order to secure concessions from Democrats on spending and social policy.Both McCarthy and Johnson have opted to cut deals with Democrats than allow those scenarios to play out.Massie and Greene tried to oust Johnson from the speakership in May, but just 10 Republicans voted for the motion to remove him while 163 Democrats crossed the aisle to rescue him.Yes, but: For the moment, Johnson retains by far the biggest asset of any GOP speaker candidate – the support of President-elect Trump.Johnson was unanimously renominated for speaker by the House Republican conference last month after Trump endorsed him in the room.Burchett, asked about Johnson's reelection chances on Friday, said Trump "will play a role in that" and that Johnson "did what he asked" on the spending fight.Zoom in: Rep. Max Miller (R-Ohio), who has been one of Johnson's harshest critics at times, said the speaker handled the funding fight "the best way that he possibly could." "I just don't know who'd be next, and I don't want the chaos. We all want stability," Miller said of the speaker vote.Another House Republican who has been critical of Johnson at times told Axios they "haven't heard much about" any organized effort to defeat him.The bottom line: Johnson will likely have a whip operation on his hands for the two weeks leading up to the vote."It's such a slim majority that he'd be foolish to not want to touch base with everybody just to make sure," said Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.).

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

Far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s latest conspiracy theory just dropped. Mysterious drones have been spotted across the eastern U.S. over the past month, sparking concerns from citizens and drawing the attention of the FBI. And while the FBI and Department of Homeland Security have said the drones do not pose “a national security or public safety threat,” Greene has taken that information and spun it into a new conspiracy. “The government is in control of the drones and refuses to tell the American people what is going on,” the Georgia congresswoman wrote on X this past Saturday. “It really is that bad.”Greene is one of many officials to join this conspiracy squawking. Donald Trump also pointed fingers at the current administration, urging citizens to "shoot them down.”However, before you point your guns at the sky, one expert is urging people to reconsider. Rob D'Amico, the former chief of the FBI's counter-drone unit, told MSNBC that shooting at these unidentified aircrafts would be “irresponsible” and would be "the same legally as shooting at a manned aircraft.”Despite the obvious danger of shooting into the sky, other government officials have joined in on the squawking, including Republican Reps. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, and Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew, both of New Jersey.Government officials also confirmed that many of the reported drone sightings were "actually manned aircraft, operating lawfully,” according to one National Security Council official.However, National Security Advisor John Kirby said to a reporter during a Dec. 12 press briefing that he could not “characterize for you definitively what these sightings are.”Daily Kos has contacted the White House regarding claims that the aircraft are their own. Greene’s fear-mongering statement is one of many conspiracy theories the congresswoman has made in recent years.Following the destruction Hurricane Helene left throughout the East Coast, Greene decided it was the appropriate time to claim that the government was to blame for the natural disaster. “Yes they can control the weather,” she wrote via X. “It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”Greene was linked to supporting the QAnon conspiracy theory in the past, but she began to distance herself from those in 2020. However, she also seemingly supported the “Frazzledrip” conspiracy, which falsely alleges Democrat Hillary Clinton and former Clinton aide Huma Abedin were videotaped sexually assaulting and murdering a child.Greene and her lovely ideas will be a part of the incoming administration’s Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory commission led by tech bros Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. We're right in the thick of the holiday season, and we're all tired after a long election in which we gave 110%, but this is important: Daily Kos is falling short of our final goal of the year and time is running out. Can you chip in to help us close the books on 2024?

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.

House Republicans will have zero room for error in the 119th Congress — literally. Rep. John Duarte (R) conceded to Democrat Adam Gray in California’s 13th Congressional District Tuesday night — the final uncalled House race of the 2024 cycle — solidifying the GOP’s 220-215 majority in the lower chamber. That slim edge is already one of [...]

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.

Stanford-trained physician and economist Jay Bhattacharya has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next director of the NIH.

Taken together, the lack of big-ticket accomplishments is underscoring a volatile November election season, with control of Congress a toss-up.

A group of Republicans are introducing a new bill that would cease all aid dollars to Afghanistan over concerns of interception by the Taliban.

Some lawmakers back more funding to hire more agents, but others say manpower allocation is the key.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is fighting for his job this week. Today's setback gives him a sense for how difficult — and lonely — it will be if he wins.Read the room: Johnson's rank-and-file aren't taking his Plan A seriously ... his top members are pointing fingers over who's to blame ... worst of all, the former president reserves the right to blindside him.Why it matters: Those dynamics will only increase if Donald Trump wins back the presidency and Republicans maintain their House majority.Johnson knows he can't pass a funding bill with partisan policy positions.But he also knows he has to get caught trying.Zoom in: The speaker is back in the same caretaker's hot seat he occupied before Democrats saved his job over aid for Ukraine.Johnson couldn't even muscle through his Plan A — a six-month spending stopgap to avoid a government shutdown that would be paired with legislation to require proof of citizenship to register to vote — this week before Trump blindsided him.Johnson told us he and Trump are on the same page. It's hard to read the former president's post and agree.Tensions are mounting among Johnson's top deputies, with some fingers pointing at House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), we have learned.GOP lawmakers privately say there's a pattern here: "This seems like a long line of tough bills that Emmer hasn't whipped," a top House GOP lawmaker told us."Emmer is failing as whip with multiple bills collapsing on the House floor. The whip operation is non-existent at this point," a senior GOP lawmaker told us.The other side: "It's bullshit to blame Tom," a top House Republican told us.Johnson never had the votes to pass the stopgap bill — and even if Emmer manages to twist the arms of public "no" votes, it's dead-on-arrival in the Senate."Emmer and Guy [Reschenthaler] are the only folks who have whipped me ... They make a pretty compelling argument for it," Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told us.Reality check: Johnson's Plan A has been a farce from the start.Now Johnson's own members are waiting on it to fail so he can turn to a Plan B he insists doesn't exist.🔮 House Republicans expect to see Plan B as a six-month stopgap, without the SAVE Act.When that fails, they expect to inevitably cave to the Senate on a deal that pushes negotiations into the lame duck.

Johnson can only afford to lose the support of four Republicans on a party-line vote if there are no absences.

'I believe we'll get there'

House Republicans will vote on a Donald Trump-backed plan to avoid a shutdown, tied to a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote.

'I hope it doesn’t hold up the funding'

'Outrageous partisan poison pills is a nonstarter'

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) faces a primary challenge on Tuesday as former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and his allies seek revenge against the Republicans who ousted him nearly a year ago. That revenge tour will reach its apex with the multi-million dollar effort to defeat Gaetz, a conservative rabble-rouser who spearheaded the effort to take [...]

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's revenge tour is sputtering to an end this week, with just one primary win to show for it.Why it matters: McCarthy's former colleagues complain he's effectively lit millions of dollars on fire and made it harder for new leaders to do their jobs.Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is expected to win easily on Tuesday despite a McCarthy-linked PAC spending more than $3 million against him."McCarthy thinks about me a lot more than I think about him," Gaetz told us.Between the lines: Multiple House Republicans and senior staff took issue with McCarthy's public criticisms of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and said they saw his fingerprints on the attempted ouster of Johnson in May, sources tell us."[W]hen you leave, you should go off to do the next thing you're going to do. You shouldn't be trying to spend all your time going after people that you didn't like," a top House Republican told Axios.McCarthy declined to comment.Zoom in: Since his historic removal last fall, McCarthy and his allies have targeted the eight House Republicans who voted against him."They gave him that money to beat Democrats ... and now we come to find out that that money ... was, in fact, gone after Republicans," said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), who voted to oust McCarthy.Of McCarthy's targets, House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.) was the only one to lose his primary, and his opponent was endorsed by former President Trump. "Every dollar, every dollar that we have, should be going, we're raising this cycle, should be going to defending a greater majority of the House, not work on, not work on a revenge tour," a GOP lawmaker told Axios.The other side: McCarthy allies have defended his work against those who moved to oust him, arguing they deserve repercussions. "Matt Gaetz has done more damage to the Republican Party than any Democrat in the history of Congress. Gaetz needs to self-actualize and just be on a reality television show, he has no business being in Congress," Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) told Axios.

In a social media post Thursday morning, former President Donald Trump shared a family portrait of Vice President Kamala Harris and wrote, "Your warmth, friendship, and love of your Indian Heritage are very much appreciated."

Former President Donald Trump has more than 9 million followers on TikTok. Despite his popularity there, Trump remains one of the only major Republicans using the app as a campaign tool.