Senate passes the budget reconciliation bill, also called the One Big Beautiful Bill, containing President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans' domestic agenda of tax cuts, spending cuts and more money for border security and defense, by a 51-50 vote, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie. Sen Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) provided the necessary 'yes' vote for passage after negotiating last-minute changes on health care and food aid; Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell confirms that the F...
Jul 01, 2025•54 min
The Senate's vote-a-rama continues, as members offer and vote on amendments to the Republican's tax and spending cuts bill. But passage of the bill isn't a sure thing. Republicans Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have both said they're voting "no", while Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska haven’t said how they'll vote. Congressional Republicans and President Trump have said they want the bill passed and signed into law by July 4th. Last night on the floor,...
Jun 30, 2025•37 min
In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, Congressman Adam Smith – top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee - discusses U.S. military action against Iran – and what comes next. Then - a discussion about the history and evolution of the War Powers Act Philip Wallach from the American Enterprise Institute. Plus, it was a stunning win for Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani in this week's Democratic primary for New York City Mayor. We speak...
Jun 28, 2025•33 min
Supreme Court rules that individual judges do not have the power to block a president's policies across the country, known as nationwide injunctions. The underlying case, whose merits have not been decided yet, involves President Donald Trump's Executive Order restricting birthright citizenship; Supreme Court also handed down other closely-watched decisions today, including in favor of Maryland parents who want to have their children opt-out of a curriculum with LGBTQ books and upholding a Texas...
Jun 27, 2025•54 min
Supreme Court decides that South Carolina can cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood because the group provides abortions, ruling that Medicaid patients are not allowed to sue over their right to choose their doctor; Senators get a classified briefing on the U.S. bombings of Iranian nuclear sites, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth & Gen. Dan Caine, Joint Chiefs of Staff chair hold a news conference with more details about the attack and fresh criticism of news outlets for their co...
Jun 26, 2025•50 min
President Donald Trump says the leaked U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report suggesting Iran's nuclear program has been set back only a few months after the recent U.S. bombings is wrong, the nuclear sites have been destroyed – in his word 'obliterated' - and the reporters who published the DIA reports finding are 'bad people', 'sick' and are demeaning the hero pilots who carried out the U.S. attack; CDC Director nominee Susan Monarez says at a Senate confirmation vaccines are "life-saving" an...
Jun 25, 2025•54 min
President Donald Trump says a ceasefire between Israel & Iran is "in effect", after expressing frustration with both countries for apparently violating the agreement he mediated; President spoke before flying from Washington to The Hague, Netherlands for a NATO leaders' summit; House & Senate Democrats upset today that scheduled classified briefings by Trump Administration officials about the U.S. military attacks on Iran's nuclear sites have been postponed until later this week; House v...
Jun 24, 2025•52 min
President Trump responds on social media, "Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered….There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was “set free,” because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done." On Capitol Hill, two bipartisan war powers resolutions are moving their way ...
Jun 23, 2025•37 min
In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion about the history – and future -- of Iran's nuclear program - with Daryl Kimball of the Arms Control Association. Then, Axios Politics Reporter Steph Kight (like kite) discusses members of Congress receiving security briefings following the Minnesota lawmaker shootings. Finally, CNN's Jake Tapper discusses former President Biden's declining health during the last year of his term in his book "...
Jun 21, 2025•36 min
President Donald Trump says two more weeks he is waiting to decide to whether to attack Iran over its nuclear weapons program is “a time to see whether or not people come to their senses"; United Nations Ambassadors from Iran and Israel trade accusations at a UN Security Council meeting as their countries continue their military campaigns against each other; head of the International Atomic Energy Agency warns the Security Council of the dangers of a military campaign targeting nuclear facilitie...
Jun 20, 2025•48 min
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises revenge against Iran after an Iranian missile hits an Israeli hospital and is asked by reporters about the prospect that the U.S. will become more directly militarily involved in the conflict; White House says President Trump believes this is "substantial chance" of U.S. negotiations with Iran and therefore he will decide within two weeks the U.S. path will be, diplomacy or strikes; President extends for a third time by 90 days the requirement i...
Jun 19, 2025•55 min
President Donald Trump says he has not decided whether to attack Iran's nuclear and military facilities alongside Israel, which has been doing so for the past week; Federal Reserve keeps interest rates steady again. We will talk with MarketWatch Economics Editor Greg Robb (25); Supreme Court upholds Tennessee's law banning transgender medical treatments for minors; Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing on former President Joe Biden's mental acuity and fitness for office; Senate passes a res...
Jun 18, 2025•55 min
President Donald Trump is back in Washington, DC, returning early from the Group of 7 leaders' summit in Canada, posting and commenting about the ongoing military conflict between Israel and Iran, including he wants 'better than a ceasefire', "I have not reached out to Iran for “Peace Talks” in any way, shape, or form", calling that Fake News, and on Iran's Supreme Leader, "We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now"; U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco hears oral argument...
Jun 17, 2025•56 min
First court appearance for Vance Boelter after federal and state authorities file several charges in connection with the murder of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband and attempted murder state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. President Trump is in Canada at the G7 summit where he talked about global economic issues and the widening Israel/Iran conflict. Israeli officials have say their operation in Iran is expected to take “weeks, not days”. Meanwhile, Iranian President said tha...
Jun 16, 2025•33 min
In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, with a federalized national guard and the Marines on the streets of Los Angeles – a conversation with Mary McCord of Georgetown Law about the legal and Constitutional issues surrounding the domestic deployment of the U.S. military. Then, Former NIH Director Dr. Harold Varmus (VARR-muss) discusses how spending cuts to his former agency is impacting the future of federal medical research. And finally we chat...
Jun 14, 2025•26 min
United Nations Security Council meets on the military exchanges between Israel and Iran. Iran announces it is pulling out of nuclear talks with the U.S. President Trump posts, "Two months ago I gave Iran a 60 day ultimatum to “make a deal”…Now they have, perhaps, a second chance!" Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a migrant who was deported from Maryland to El Salvador, then brought back after an indictment, pleads not guilty in federal court in Tennessee to human trafficking charges. More Republican govern...
Jun 13, 2025•40 min
Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) is forcibly removed from a news conference in Los Angeles being held by Homeland Security Sec Kristi Noem on federal immigration enforcement operations; three Democratic governors testify before U.S. House Oversight Committee about sanctuary policies to limit local cooperation with Immigration & Customs enforcement; U.S. House passes a bill to rescind $9.4 billion in federal spending on foreign aid and money to support National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broad...
Jun 12, 2025•55 min
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent questioned at a House committee on a U.S.-China trade agreement announced by President Donald Trump; House considers a resolution to make changes to the tax cut & spending cut Budget Reconciliation bill (aka One Big Beautiful Bill) but Republicans and Democrats disagree about how significant today's vote really is; House also debates a bill to classify fentanyl permanently as schedule one, reserved for the most dangerous drugs; House debates a bill to revoke ...
Jun 11, 2025•54 min
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defends the deployment of hundreds of U.S. Marines to Los Angeles after protests have turned violent and tells a House subcommittee it will cost $134 million to troops on the ground for 60 days; Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemns the violence, but also the mass arrests by federal immigration authorities in her city that sparked the protests; President Donald Trump warns any potential protestors at this weekend's military parade in Washington, DC will be ‘met wit...
Jun 10, 2025•56 min
The Trump administration orders about 700 Marines to Los Angeles to support National Guard troops in the wake of protests this weekend over immigration. California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) says he is suing the Trump administration over the deployment of those National Guard troops. Senate Republican leaders are continuing to focus their energy on their budget reconciliation package, while the divisions over Medicaid changes and debt and deficit reduction remain. Meanwhile, House Republican...
Jun 09, 2025•42 min
In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, Marc Goldwein of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget discusses his organization's recent analysis of the Republican tax cuts and spending cuts bill. Then, a discussion with McCain Institute's Evelyn Farkas about the latest in efforts to forge a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine -- and the future of U.S. involvement. Finally, Former FEMA Chief of Staff Michael Coen discusses FEMA's readiness a...
Jun 07, 2025•36 min
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Kilmar Abrego Garcia being returned to the U.S. from a prison in El Salvador to face criminal charges of allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S; House passes a bill to require proof of U.S. citizenship to get a Small Business Administration loan; President Trump tells various news organizations that he does not plan to speak to Elon Musk anytime soon, and says Musk has 'lost his mind,' a day after the war of words online over spending levels in ...
Jun 06, 2025•52 min
President Donald Trump and Space X & Tesla CEO Elon Musk, former head of the Dept of Government Efficiency, trade online insults and threats, while Musk continues to call for the defeat of the tax cut & spend cut budget reconciliation bill because he says it will increase the nation's debt substantially; Interview with The Hill's Congressional Reporter Alex Bolton on challenges facing the budget reconciliation bill in the Senate (6); President Trump asked about his phone call today with ...
Jun 05, 2025•54 min
White House Budget Director Russell Vought testifies before a House subcommittee on the President's FY2026 budget request and the budget reconciliation bill, the one called the One Big Beautiful Bill on taxes & spending; He disputes a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) prediction that the House-passed version will add $2.4 trillion in budget deficits over 10 years; Senate is on path to confirm the second highest spot in the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, vice chair for supervision; T...
Jun 04, 2025•55 min
Elon Musk calls the budget reconciliation bill that contains a lot of the President and Congressional Republicans' tax & spending agenda – the one known as the One Big Beautiful Bill -- "massive, outrageous, pork-filled" and a "disgusting abomination"; Some Senate Republicans see it that way, as well, and it could jeopardize passage. Meetings are reportedly scheduled this week to try to work it out; Education Secretary Linda McMahon testifies about proposed budget cuts at her department, inc...
Jun 03, 2025•56 min
The Senate is back in town today and ready to take up the Republicans' budget reconciliation bill. It's the same bill the House passed before Memorial Day weekend, but it faces a possibly rocky path in the Senate. The suspect in Sunday's attack in Boulder, Colorado appeared in court today, charged with 16 counts of attempted murder, plus a federal hate crime. According to an affidavit, Mohammed Soliman told investigators he “wanted to kill all Zionist people” and said, “he would do it again." Ru...
Jun 02, 2025•44 min
In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, a discussion with former Republican Congressman Chris Gibson on his new book "The Spirit of Philadelphia" – about reviving bipartisanship and civic engagement in American politics. Then, Dr. Richard Besser from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation joins us– to talk about HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior's "Make American Healthy Again" agenda - and changes to public health policy. Finally, NAACP preside...
May 31, 2025•33 min
Elon Musk, Former head of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) joins the President Trump in the White House Oval Office on his final day as a government employee; President Trump accuses China of violating a trade agreement from a few weeks ago that led to the lowering of high tariffs on both sides while negotiations continued on a longer-term deal; Supreme Court allows the Trump administration to take away temporary legal protections from over half a million immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, N...
May 30, 2025•51 min
White House is calling on the Supreme Court to intervene after a federal trade court struck down many of President Donald Trump's tariffs because the president exceeded his legal authority when he put them in place. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt say, "America cannot function if President Trump, or any other president for that matter, has their sensitive diplomatic or trade negotiations railroaded by activist judges"; State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce is asked about Secretary of State M...
May 29, 2025•54 min
President Donald Trump responds to a nickname some on Wall Street have given him to describe his tariff policy that includes the word 'chicken'; President is asked about Elon Musk saying he disappointed with the amount of spending in the budget reconciliation 'one big beautiful bill' passed by the House; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy calls for more spending on upgrading air traffic control systems, as he gives an update from Newark Airport; Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) and Rep. Jason Crow (D-...
May 28, 2025•55 min
