Mike Flood

The federal Department of Governmental Efficiency's "Wall of Receipts" includes Valentine's Niobrara National Scenic River Visitor Center. The building's owner says the $151,670-a-year lease has been canceled effective Sept. 30.

Republicans will face a critical test of their unity when a spending bill that would avoid a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September comes up for a vote.Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is teeing up the bill for a vote as soon as Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially daring them to oppose it and risk a shutdown that would begin Saturday if lawmakers fail to act.Republicans will need overwhelming support from their members in both chambers — and some help from Senate Democrats — to get the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk. It’s one of the biggest legislative tests so far of the Republican president’s second term, prompting Vice President JD Vance to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning to rally support.“We have to keep the government in operation,” Johnson said as he emerged from a House Republican meeting. “It’s a fundamental responsibility of ours. The vice president echoed that sentiment. It was very well received and very well delivered. I think the holdouts are down to just one or two.”The strategy has the backing of Trump, who is calling on Republicans to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”House Republicans said the bill would trim $13 billion in non-defense spending from the levels in the 2024 budget year and increase defense spending by $6 billion, which are rather flat changes for both categories when compared with an overall topline of nearly $1.7 trillion in discretionary spending. The bill does not cover the majority of government spending, including Social Security and Medicare. Funding for those two programs is on auto pilot and not regularly reviewed by Congress. Democrats are mostly worried about the discretion the bill gives the Trump administration on spending decisions. They are already alarmed by the administration’s efforts to make major cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, run by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk. And they say the spending bill would fuel the effort.“This is not a clean CR. This bill is a blank check,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee. “It’s a blank check for Elon Musk and President Trump.”Elon Musk19 hours agoMusk says DOGE is in almost every federal agency and plans to double staffTrump administration2 hours agoPregnant federal employees who were fired grapple with stress of losing insurance and looking for workDepartment of Justice6 hours agoDOJ official says she was fired after opposing the restoration of Mel Gibson's gun rightsSpending bills typically come with specific funding directives for key programs, but hundreds of those directives fall away under the legislation, according to a memo released by Senate Democrats. So the administration will have more leeway to reshape priorities. “President Trump has endorsed this full-year CR because he understands what is in it for him: more power over federal spending to pick winners and losers and devastate Democratic states and priorities,” the memo warned. For example, the Democratic memo said the bill would allow the administration to steer money away from combating fentanyl and instead use it on mass deportation initiatives.Normally, when it comes to keeping the government fully open for business, Republicans have had to work with Democrats to craft a bipartisan measure that both sides can support. That’s because Republicans almost always lack the votes to pass spending bills on their own. This time, Republican leaders are pushing for a vote despite Democratic opposition. Trump is showing an ability this term to hold Republicans in line. He met with several of the House chamber’s most conservative members last week.Now, House Republicans who routinely vote against spending bills said they would support this one. The House Freedom Caucus, which includes many of the House’s most conservative members, issued a statement of support saying “contrary to Congress’ longtime abuse of this legislative tool, this CR is a paradigm shift.”Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., is still a holdout, though. He says he’ll vote no.“I guess deficits only matter when we’re in the minority,” said Massie, when asked why colleagues weren’t listening to his concerns.Trump went after Massie on social media, calling him a “GRANDSTANDER, who’s too much trouble.”“HE SHOULD BE PRIMARIED, and I will lead the charge against him,” Trump posted online.Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, acknowledged the continuing resolution was not the outcome he was seeking but said it was time to end the cycle of short-term extensions Congress has been passing to keep the government open. This will be the third for the current budget year.“Congress does have other things to do,” said Cole, of Oklahoma. “It’s got a lot on its plate this year.”Meanwhile, House Democratic leaders have come out strongly against it. Less clear is how strongly they’ll push members in competitive battleground districts to follow their lead.“House Democrats will not be complicit in the Republican efforts to hurt the American people,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said.Senate Democrats generally seem to be emphasizing patience at this stage, waiting to see if Republicans can muscle the bill through the House before taking a stand. “No comment,” said top Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York as he rushed through the hallway outside the Senate chamber.Still, several rank-and-file Democrats criticized the measure. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was stunned that Republicans were “trying to jam through something that is their way or the highway.”If the bill does move to the Senate later this week, support from at least eight Democratic senators will likely be needed for it to advance to passage.“It’ll be up to the Democrats whether they want to deliver the votes and keep the government from shutting down,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.Democrats also introduced an alternative bill Monday night funding the government through April 11. The bill could serve as a Plan B if the GOP-led effort falters.The spending bill could also have major ramifications for the District of Columbia’s government. City officials voiced their concerns during a news conference outside the Capitol on Monday, and district residents later in the day flooded the hearing room and surrounding hallway where lawmakers were considering debate rules for the measure.The bill would limit the district to last year’s funding levels, though it’s already spending at 2025 levels. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, said the proposal would require the district to cut $1.1 billion in spending in the next six months since it has already passed a balanced budget and is midway through its fiscal year. That means, officials said, cuts to critical services such as education and public safety.The mayor also emphasized that the district’s 2025 budget focused on boosting three priorities: public safety, public education and economic growth. “If the Congress goes through with this action, it will work against a priority that President Trump and I share, and that is to make Washington, D.C., the best, most beautiful city in the world,” Bowser said.Associated Press writers Leah Askarinam, Gary Fields and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

He was a smart kid who loved golf and computers and had big dreams. So how did Luke Farritor go from Lincoln to helping Elon Musk overhaul the federal government?

The Missouri House also gave final approval to a bill to Bayer avoid lawsuits linked to Roundup weedkiller and also voted to eliminate anti-racism programs in state government.

Everything looked set for an island-wide beach project for the Wildwoods. Now, two towns are expressing their doubts.

Leaders of blue Illinois and red Indiana are divided on issues ranging from immigration to DEI to LGBTQ rights.

California Democrats in the state Legislature are pushing a suite of bills in response to the Los Angeles firestorm last month.

President Trump and Elon Musk, arguably the two most unorthodox and influential American leaders of the 21st century, are practicing and fine-tuning a fused theory of governing power:Masculine maximalism.Why it matters: Trump and Musk believe powerfully in maximalist action and language, carried out by strong (mostly) white men as blunt, uncompromising instruments to prove new limits both to power and what's possible."Fix Bayonets," Steve Bannon, a first-term Trump official whose "War Room" podcast makes him one of the most widely followed outside MAGA voices, texted us. "We are 'Burning Daylight' — short window to get this done."Trump, first in business and then politics, and Musk, first in business and now politics, are feeding off each other's natural instincts to do, say and operate by their own new rules.These instincts made them rich, famous and impervious to traditional rules, norms and even laws. Their success makes dissuasion by others futile, administration officials tell us.Trump and Musk view masculinity quite similarly: tough-guy language, macho actions, irreverent, crude — and often unmoved by emotionalism, empathy or restraint.The big picture: So much has happened so fast, in so little time, that it's hard to measure what matters most in the first 24 days of the Trump presidency (not even a month yet!). But stepping way back and appraising the totality of actions, the biggest shift is the instant imposition of this new power theory across all of government and the Republican Party:There's no opposition to this maximalist approach among Trump's staff or major MAGA media voices. And it's extremely limited among Republican lawmakers: Some have privately expressed concerns about DOGE, and winced at Vice President Vance's salvo about judges not being "allowed to control the executive's legitimate power." But even most GOP senators who expressed initial reservations about Cabinet picks have turned supportive.Here's the Trump-Musk formula: 1. Power asserted, power claimed: Trump and Musk, much like they did in the private sector, set their own new limits of authority by stating them emphatically and acting aggressively. Trump and Musk have moved to cut at least 10,000 federal workers, while vowing "large-scale reductions in force (RIFs)" as part of "workforce reform" ... and offered deferred resignation packages to more than 2 million federal workers. (A federal judge on Wednesday let the "buyout" program proceed. 75,000 workers have taken the deal.)Trump and Musk sought to freeze federal grants and loans that total in the trillions ... and targeted "hundreds of billions" in fraudulent federal spending. Musk's DOGE gained access to Treasury's highly sensitive payment system. Trump threatened a global trade war ... stripped security details from his own former secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and other former officials ... revoked the security clearance of former President Biden, ending his classified intelligence briefings ... and fired more than a dozen inspectors general — watchdogs who root out Executive Branch abuse.Trump's Pentagon deployed active-duty troops to the Southwest border. Trump's Justice Department pushed federal prosecutors to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams. And Trump pardoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D), who went to prison for political corruption. Trump, after campaigning as an American First hardliner, often sounds like limitless expansionist: saying the U.S. would "take over" Gaza ... and pushing to buy Greenland, make Canada the 51st state and take back the Panama Canal.2. Precedents are for chumps: Both think conventional, polite, rule-following CEOs and leaders are suckers and conformists. They believe wimps and posers play by the rules, worry about hurt feelings or damaged lives, and seek consensus. So far, Trump and Musk have every reason to feel vindicated: Most Republicans in Congress have sat by idly, or applauded gleefully, as the two laid claim to congressional powers of the purse and scrutinizing Cabinet picks.Trump and Musk are freezing programs and firing federal employees — with scant scrutiny and little transparency. A Wall Street Journal editorial points out that Trump deliberately incited legal challenges with his executive order ending birthright citizenship, and by firing a member of the National Labor Relations Board: "Trump believes he'll win on both issues because he thinks previous Supreme Court rulings were wrongly decided." The Journal says Trump is on new legal ground by targeting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and USAID — both of which were established by Congress.3. Let men be men: Yes, there are some powerful women around Trump — led by White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. But the vast majority of the public and private action is carried about by aggressive, white men, including Musk and his all-male DOGE posse; Stephen Miller, a White House deputy chief of staff who also is homeland security adviser and immigration lead; and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News star and decorated Army combat veteran who's bringing some of Trump's most disruptive dreams to life. 4. Humiliate the humbled: Both Trump and Musk use public appearances and social media posts to bully and pummel critics across politics, media and culture. They scoff at calls for humility and grace when blessed with power. In the case of transgender people, they want to restore "biological truth" and "the immutable biological reality of sex," as a Day 1 executive order put it, by making it "the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female."Both men like to provoke outrage — and outrageous responses. That makes Trump and Musk the center of the national conversation — and baits hyperventilating critics into outrageous responses. Trump and Musk have followed through on their promise to decimate DEI, targeting hundreds of such jobs. The Free Press wrote that the Trump administration, "and many of its highest-profile supporters, are fueling the idea that any minority with a job might not actually deserve it. These people see DEI everywhere."5. Fused styles, fused worldview: As captured by Vance's AI speech in Paris this week, the most surprising twist in the Trump governing agenda reflects a fusion not just of the Trump and Musk styles but also their worldviews — nationalism with techno-optimism.Trump was indifferent or outright hostile to many Big Tech companies in his first term and most of his campaign. But now: Quick, vast AI expansion sits at the heart of his evolving economic agenda and philosophy. At the same time, Musk has been a vocal champion of nationalism. They're of one style, and increasingly of one shared mind and ideology.Behind the scenes: Charlie Kirk — founder and president of Turning Point USA, MAGA's youth wing, and host of one of the most powerful MAGA podcasts — told us the "flood the zone" aggressiveness of the administration's first month will only increase as more top officials get confirmed and rolling. "This is just setting the foundation," Kirk said. "He's set a pace and said: My team can see the tempo I want."Kirk, who is very close to Trump, told us Trump's maximalist instincts are being amplified by his battle-hardened staff and Cabinet. "You have an entire Avengers team of people able to fulfill the president's wishes and orders," Kirk said. "When you're in exile for a couple of years, and have people writing your political eulogy, you enter with increased motivation and energy."Kirk, whose social media feeds are one of the most vivid reflections (and drivers) of MAGA sentiment, said his callers and followers are thrilled with what they're getting: "They knew he was serious. But they didn't know they'd get it so quickly, decisively and declaratively."Reality check: Trump is very intentionally testing the limits of executive power. The WSJ editorial contends: "Trump may be wrong, but there is no constitutional crisis as the cases make their way through the courts."What to watch: Democrats are beyond baffled on how to deal with Trump, Musk and maximalist power simultaneously. The opposition lacks anyone with a remotely similar social media and traditional media star power, or a coherent legislative way to slow or stop them. So Democrats are down to betting on the courts — or a future maximalist public backlash to maximalism.Go deeper ... "Behind the Curtain: Purges, punishments, payback."Join Jim & Mike next Wednesday for a webinar on "How Trump Thinks" — with special guest Marc Caputo, one of the best-wired Trump reporters — as part of our AM Executive Briefing membership series. Subscribe here.

House Democrats are vowing to play hardball in the partisan battle over government spending, driving to extract steep concessions from Republicans who will need bipartisan buy-in to prevent a shutdown next month. Democratic leaders are warning that they won’t support a funding package that includes steep cuts to their favored programs. Others would go a [...]

Standing before a mourning nation following a tragic commercial airline crash that killed nearly 70 people in Washington, D.C., President Trump offered his somber condolences and said everyone was “searching for answers.”

Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday cleared crucial hurdles toward winning Senate confirmation, handing President Trump a key win as he looks for an early display of loyalty from GOP lawmakers. Gabbard and Kennedy overcame high-stakes committee votes that went down to the wire in their bids to lead the U.S. Intelligence [...]

Mayors of Bismarck and Mandan highlighted major projects and initiatives in their joint State of the Cities address on Tuesday at the Bismarck Event Center.

A federal law signed in January approves a proposed desalination plant for Cape May, with an estimated $40 million price tag. The funding has yet to get approval.

'With the serious commitments I’ve received ... I will vote yes'

Nebraskans gathered at the state Capitol Saturday for the 52nd annual Walk for Life rally, celebrating recent victories for the anti-abortion movement.

WASHINGTON — Roughly 19,000 civilian federal employees in Louisiana will have until Thursday to email “resign” — thereby accepting a buyout offer — or face a dramatically changed work environment, President Donald Trump said last week, after his budget officers...

Analysis shows Missouri’s casino operators could lose money if the video gambling machines are legalized, and bettors stay closer to home.

With little power in Republican-led Washington, D.C., California Democrats struggle to mount a countereffort to President Trump's agenda.

Virginia's cash-strapped free clinics seek state help to cope with rising costs and soaring demand for their safety net services.

President Donald Trump is heading into the fifth day of his second term in office, striving to remake the traditional boundaries of Washington by asserting unprecedented executive power. The president is also heading to hurricane-battered western North Carolina and wildfire-ravaged...

President Trump is heading to hurricane-battered western North Carolina and wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles.

Republicans in Washington want to force California to make policy changes in order to get federal help. That's unAmerican.

President Donald Trump is preparing to reshape the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been on the frontlines of responding to disasters in California and North Carolina. He was critical of the agency this week in an interview with Sean...

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his top aide, Brian Hook, have faced threats from Iran.

Welcome to At the Races! Each week we bring you news and analysis from the CQ Roll Call campaign team. Know someone who’d like to get this newsletter? They can subscribe here. The Senate this week took up a bill that could punish physicians who fail to resuscitate infants born during an abortion. That in itself [...]The post At the Races: March for Life brings abortion votes appeared first on Roll Call.

Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th President of the United States, taking charge as Republicans claim unified control of Washington and set out to reshape the country’s institutions.

The outcome of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial will be watched closely well beyond Chicago’s federal courthouse.

The outcome of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s corruption trial will be watched closely well beyond Chicago’s federal courthouse.

Students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln performed Monday morning in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda ahead of the inauguration.

It's not entirely clear whether the project is dead, but no state money would be left for further studies of such a project under Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen's budget plan.

On Sunday, millions of U.S. TikTok users were sent a message less than 24 hours after the app went dark: "As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!"Yes, but: While Trump's vow to delay the app's divestment deadline might earn him some likes online, key GOP lawmakers who pushed for a ban over national security concerns could be a bit ticked off. And despite Trump's vow to issue an executive order on day one to delay the enforcement of a bipartisan law, TikTok still might be racing against the clock to strike a deal.Here's what you may have missed when newsmakers hit the airwaves this Sunday, Jan. 19.1. MAGA's TikTok turnaround Rep. Mike Waltz speaks about the law banning TikTok in the U.S. on CNN's "State of the Union" on Jan. 19.Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), a prominent congressional China hawk, said last year President Biden's presidential campaign should be "ashamed" for joining TikTok when federal agencies had to remove the app from their devices."We know the Chinese Communist Party are using this as a data collection bonanza," he said, contending the campaign's presence on the platform as "a superhighway" for election interference. "I've called for a full-on ban," Waltz said at the time, calling action on TikTok "long overdue."Trump, who once spearheaded the effort to ban the app, eventually joined TikTok as well.The latest: But on Sunday, Waltz, now the incoming national security adviser, said he's confident the Trump administration can "save TikTok" while protecting U.S. user data.That could mean "an outright sale," as is stipulated in the bipartisan law that set the stage for the app's ban, or "some mechanism of firewalls to make sure that the data is protected here on U.S. soil," Waltz said on CNN's "State of the Union.""So it's possible China will still own [TikTok]?" host Dana Bash asked, adding, "Isn't that totally capitulating to China?"Waltz replied that it's "not capitulating at all." He continued, "TikTok can continue to exist ... whether that's in American hands, owned by an American company, or whether the data and the algorithms are fully protected from Chinese interference."Zoom out: But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told NBC's "Meet the Press" that "we will enforce the law," and Trump's vows to "save TikTok" mean the president-elect wants to see "a true divestiture.""It's the Chinese Communist Party and their manipulation of the algorithms," Johnson said. "They have been flooding the minds of American children with terrible messages, glorifying violence and antisemitism and even suicide and eating disorders."The only way to extend the deadline, Johnson said, is if there's an "actual deal" in the works. But he noted, "We don't have any confidence in ByteDance," TikTok's parent company.House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) noted on CNN that presenting a remedy other "than someone else purchasing TikTok who's not affiliated with the Chinese communist party" would mean there would have to be "some kind of change in the law."Yes, but: Trump's vision may look a little different."[My]y initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose," Trump wrote in his social media statement expressing his intent to issue an executive order pushing back the apps' lights-out date.It's clear that ByteDance does not want to sell its famous algorithm. And there is no evidence of an in-progress deal, though investor Kevin O'Leary said he's made a $20 billion offer.What we're watching: Trump 2.0 — and perhaps, the path to TikTok 2.0 — start Monday.And as White House deputy national security adviser Jon Finer made clear Sunday on ABC's "This Week," the ball is in Trump's court.2. Israel-Hamas ceasefire commences Brett McGurk speaks during a Jan. 19 interview on CBS News' "Face the Nation."The early hours of the Gaza ceasefire saw three female Israeli hostages released from Hamas captivity after more than 470 days.The latest: Some 800 aid trucks are set to enter Gaza today, said Brett McGurk, the lead U.S. negotiator on the hostage deal — a dramatic increase from daily averages.As of Friday reporting from Reuters, UNRWA data showed 523 aid trucks had entered Gaza in January. Janti Soeripto, the president and CEO of Save the Children, said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" that there are some 300,000 children in Gaza who are in "real acute need of malnutrition treatment." Her organization is also trying to reconnect more than 17,000 children separated from their families during a war that has seen more than 45,000 Palestinians killed.What they're saying: "This was not put together in the last week," McGurk said. "This was put together really since May when President Biden laid out this framework."McGurk said the Biden administration has been working "seamlessly" with the incoming Trump team."This is a testament to President Biden and to President Trump allowing us to work together," he said, characterizing his partnership with Trump Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff as "historic."Waltz characterized the hostage return as a "Reagan moment" for Trump, referencing the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis.The terms of the deal were "inherited" from the Biden administration, Waltz said, but he contended "this deal would have never happened had President Trump not been elected."The bottom line: Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that the question over whether Trump deserves some credit for the deal is one "historians will have to answer moving forward." 3. Johnson: Trump isn't behind Turner's ousting House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks on NBC News' "Meet the Press" during a Jan. 19 interview.House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) denied Sunday that his decision to oust Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) as the House Intelligence Committee chair was prompted by President-elect Trump.The intrigue: Turner's ousting has generated frustration and disbelief from Republicans who fear their razor-thin majority would shrink further if the Ohio congressman decides to vote against the GOP agenda in retaliation for Johnson's actions.What they're saying: Johnson told NBC News' Kristen Welker that "the notion that this was directed by the incumbent administration is just simply false."Yes, but: Turner told CBS News that Johnson said "concerns from Mar-a-Lago" were among the reasons for his removal.State of play: Johnson said he feels he can still count on Turner's vote as he's a "team player."The speaker added that he and Turner are "good friends, trusted friends and colleagues. He will still be one of the top leaders in the House. In fact, I reappointed him and asked him to serve again, and he graciously agreed."Turner will be the chairman of the U.S. delegation for NATO's Parliamentary Assembly, a position he previously held in 2011. He was president of the assembly from 2014 to 2016. He also serves on the Armed Service and Oversight and Government Reform committees.More from Axios' Sunday coverage:Bannon: Billionaire CEOs have surrendered to TrumpArctic blast, tied to the polar vortex, spreads all the way to SoutheastTrump's 2.0 inauguration draws more celebrities

President Biden is warning that an "oligarchy" of the "ultra-wealthy" is taking shape in America as big tech CEOS have been warming up to President-elect Trump.

Under Sen. Teresa Ibach’s proposal, individuals who do not have U.S. citizenship but are in the country legally and able to work could become certified law enforcement personnel.

One by one, President-elect Donald Trump's hoped-for Cabinet is falling into place. Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth was back on track after a fiery Senate confirmation hearing that probed his drinking, allegations of sexual assault and qualifications to lead the...

President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees are pushing through a gauntlet of confirmation hearings with the help of allied Senate Republicans carrying them toward the finish line, despite Democratic objections.

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

Farmers in Georgia are still reeling more than two months after Hurricane Helene blew away cotton, destroyed ripened squash and cucumbers and uprooted pecan trees and timber. Agribusinesses in other Southern states saw costly damage as well. The University of...

Huge gates at the mouths of three inlets and barriers across bays are no longer part of a plan to protect New Jersey’s back bays from the type of catastrophic flooding they endured during Superstorm Sandy.

The House on Friday will make another attempt at passing legislation to avert a government shutdown, staging a vote on a revamped spending proposal that excludes the debt limit hike initially demanded by President-elect Trump, three sources told The Hill. The package would fund the government at current levels through March 14, extend the farm [...]

The measure would prevent a partial government shutdown set to begin after midnight Friday.

Congressional leaders have struck a bipartisan deal to keep the government funded beyond a looming Dec. 20 shutdown deadline. Legislation rolled out by leadership on Tuesday would kick the Friday funding deadline to March 14 to buy more time for the next Congress and incoming president — the first Republican trifecta since 2017 — to [...]

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 governor's office has been involved in discussions with U.S. Postal Service officials about acquiring the main Post Office site in the Haymarket as a possible convention center site.

The Upper Township Committee approved an amendment to its ordinance outlining a redevelopment plan for the site of the former B.L England power plant in the Beesleys Point section, which includes a 60-foot minimum height for part of the area.

In staffing his administration, Trump has shown an inclination to select people who distrust or even disdain the agencies that they’ve been chosen to lead.

"Some may seek to deny or delay the clean energy revolution that's underway in America, but nobody -- nobody -- can reverse it. Nobody. Not when so many people, regardless of party or politics, are enjoying its benefits."

The White House won't switch ownership for weeks, but President-elect Trump is already dancing the tariff tango.His announcement of a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico sent a shiver through markets last week. Republicans painted the threat as Trump exercising leverage in negotiations with foreign officials. But Democrats and some experts warn of tariff-induced price hikes, retaliatory measures and inflation should the proposal become reality.Here's what you may have missed when newsmakers hit the airwaves this Sunday, December 1.1. Ted Cruz's tariff teeter-totter Sen. Ted Cruz speaks during a Dec. 1 interview on CBS News' "Face the Nation.""A tariff is a tax on you, the American people," Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said on a 2016 debate stage, warning that his then-opponent Trump's proposed tariffs would hurt consumers and prompt retaliatory taxes from abroad.Trump replied that the proposed 45% tariff in question was a threat, "not a tax." But Cruz shot back: "It's not China that pays the tax, it's you, the working men and women."The latest: Fast forward to Sunday when Cruz changed his tune as Trump 2.0 looms large.Asked by CBS News' Major Garrett, who noted Cruz's former skepticism of tariffs, if the economics around the trade tool have changed, the Texas Republican replied, "I tell you what hasn't changed is the importance of leverage."He continued, "The threat of tariffs against Mexico and Canada immediately has produced action."The big picture: Trump's recent tariff proposals, some anticipate, are negotiating tactics. Simply put: Just because he's posting it, doesn't mean he's going to do it.Trump tied the looming tariffs to specific changes he wants to see, writing on Truth Social, "This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!"Zoom in: Pressed by Garrett over whether he views Trump's tariffs as a real economic possibility or just as diplomatic pressure, Cruz pointed to Trump's prior threats of tariffs on Mexico and said they left Mexico's president "scared and concerned."Zoom out: Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) seemed to share Cruz's vision, saying on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, "We need to take a very hard look at countries that don't have our best interests at heart, countries that are allowing our borders to be violated, and use those tariffs as a tool to achieve our ends."Asked by Kristen Welker if he feared a trade war, Hagerty replied, "What it needs to lead to is a correction of the behavior that's taking place right now, that is letting fentanyl flood into our border, that is allowing people to flood into our country ... It needs to stop, and President Trump is going to use every lever at his disposal to do it."Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) noted on ABC's "This Week," "by suggesting these tariffs right now, he's going to get the attention of the leaders in the other countries."Reality check: All of this is not to say Trump didn't impose tariffs during his first term — he did, and President Biden kept many.The other side: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) argued on "Meet the Press" that Trump's and Biden's tariff policies had different results, contending Trump "has no idea how to use tariffs in order to create American jobs" while Biden used them "the right way" with coordinated subsidy and restriction policies.If tariffs are "not used properly," he said, they "are just going to raise costs on ordinary Americans while the billionaires get off scot-free."2. Jake Sullivan brushes off retribution risk Jake Sullivan discusses being named as a member of the "deep state" in Kash Patel's book on ABC's "This Week" on Dec. 1.National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has two major international conflicts and a presidential transition on his plate and said Sunday he can't spend "time worrying about other things."Yes, but: Trump's pick for FBI director, Kash Patel, seemingly has his eye on Sullivan, whom he named as a member of the "deep state" in his book, "Government Gangsters: The Deep State, the Truth, and the Battle for Our Democracy."In promotional materials for the book, Trump is quoted as saying he will "use this blueprint to help us take back the White House and remove these Gangsters from all of Government!"Driving the news: "I wake up every day to try to defend this country and protect the national interest," Sullivan said on CNN's "State of the Union" when asked if he feared personal retribution. "I've got 50 days left — I'm going to stay totally focused," he continued. Also asked about his placement on Patel's list of bad actors in the federal bureaucracy on ABC's "This Week," Sullivan replied, "I can't worry about after January 20. I have to worry about until January 20."3. Murphy calls some Trump picks out of touch Sen. Chris Murphy speaks during a Dec. 1 interview on NBC's "Meet the Press."Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) listed his concerns about many of Trump's Cabinet picks Sunday, saying on "Meet the Press" that the appointees "don't understand what regular people are going through."The big picture: Murphy said he worries Trump has put "the billionaire class in charge of the American government" by filling key Cabinet roles with wealthy allies.What they're saying: "That is what the story of this Cabinet is, is Donald Trump and the billionaire class taking over government to enrich themselves and screw everybody else in this country," he said.Between the lines: New York Magazine estimates the net worth of Trump's Cabinet picks at slightly over $9 billion. When including the world's richest man, Elon Musk, the number rises to $340 billion.Trump's previous Cabinet was the wealthiest in U.S. history, coming in at $3.2 billion according to Forbes. Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and former Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross' wealth made up 73% of the total.In comparison, Biden's Cabinet is worth $120 million.At least five people — Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, Howard Lutnik, Linda McMahon and Steve Witkoff — appointed to roles within Trump's administration are known billionaires. More from Axios' Sunday coverage:Kash Patel gets quick praise from some Republicans as Trump's FBI pickTrump appoints businessman Massad Boulos as Middle East adviser