Congress

Capitol agenda: Dems’ big wins could prolong the shutdown

Published

5 months ago

November 5, 2025

It’s officially the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, and about a dozen Democrats are itching to find a way out.

But after Democrats’ sweeping victories Tuesday night, their colleagues are waking up this morning and wondering: Are we really going to cave now?

The big wins in Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and elsewhere stand to complicate efforts to reopen the government. It’s hard to see most Democrats wanting to temper their momentum immediately after witnessing a massive voter backlash to President Donald Trump and Republicans.

“Tonight’s results are a repudiation of the Trump agenda,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that called it “a good night for Democrats and our fight to lower costs, improve healthcare, and reach a better future for American families.”

The Democrats searching for an exit to the shutdown had their say during a two-hour-plus caucus lunch Tuesday that ended with grim faces and tight lips. Expect voices like Sen. Chris Murphy’s to carry weight Wednesday.

“Maybe the take is that (a) people think Trump is out of control; and (b) people like Dems when we’re taking a stand and fighting for what we believe in — as we have been for the last month,” Murphy (D-Conn.) posted on X Tuesday night.

Now it’s Republicans’ turn to have a long awkward meal. GOP senators are headed to the White House Wednesday morning for a breakfast meeting with Trump, who is unlikely to be in a jovial mood given the GOP’s electoral drubbing.

Senators can expect the president to rekindle his push to kill the filibuster as two senior Republicans granted anonymity to speak candidly say he is getting increasingly unhappy as the shutdown drags on.

He hinted as much in a late-night Truth Social post: ‘“TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT, AND SHUTDOWN, WERE THE TWO REASONS THAT REPUBLICANS LOST ELECTIONS TONIGHT,’ according to Pollsters.”

But GOP senators made clear Tuesday he won’t have a very receptive audience if he makes a hard sell on going “nuclear,” with many favoring the 60-vote status quo.

“Simply going to make the Senate a mini version of the House is not what any of us really want to do,” Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said.

What else we’re watching:

— Congress gets more info on strikes: The White House is starting to provide Congress more information about U.S. maritime strikes as GOP senators threaten to side with Democrats to restrict Trump’s war powers. Senate Armed Services ranking member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) said Tuesday that last week’s bipartisan public admonishment of the administration for not providing the legal rationale for the strikes on alleged drug traffickers prompted DOD officials to provide lawmakers “some new material to read.” He doesn’t think it covered most unanswered questions.

— Boozman, Booker meet with crypto czar: Senate Agriculture Chair John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) plan to speak Wednesday afternoon with White House crypto and AI czar David Sacks as lawmakers look to finalize the committee’s portion of a sweeping crypto market structure bill.

Connor O’Brien, Jordain Carney, Katherine Tully-McManus, Jasper Goodman, Meredith Lee Hill, Nicholas Wu and Kelly Garrity contributed to this report.

Congress

GOP senators see path to ending DHS shutdown after Trump meeting

Published

3 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

A group of Senate Republicans believe they’ve found a path to ending the five-week Department of Homeland Security shutdown after meeting Monday with President Donald Trump.

Asked after the White House meeting if they had a solution after meeting with Trump, Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama told reporters, “We do.”

Britt and Sens. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Steve Daines of Montana met with Trump to try to pitch to accept an agreement that would fund most of DHS.

Their pitch, according to two people with knowledge of it, was to pass a funding bill that would fund all of DHS except specific parts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is already funded under last year’s GOP megabill.

Graham told colleagues on the Senate floor after the meeting that the president is now open to a new party-line reconciliation bill after rejecting the idea over the weekend, Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said. That could give Republicans a path to pass more ICE funding — if they can muster the votes.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. And Republicans cautioned that nothing is official until Trump backs it publicly.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said “hope so” when asked Monday night whether a deal was in hand.

Proceeding with the arrangement with Trump’s support would represent a U-turn from just 24 hours ago for the president, who insisted Sunday that DHS could be only funded if Democrats agreed to pass a partisan GOP elections bill, the SAVE America Act, alongside it.

Democrats in both chambers have pressed Republicans multiple times to take up their bills that would fund all of DHS except ICE, Customs and Border Protection and the secretary’s office. Republicans have rejected the efforts each time.

Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), a senior appropriator, said there are “various options” for funding the department but is “hopeful” a solution was within grasp.

“Republicans have put a lot on the table, and hopefully the Democrats will agree,” he said.

Congress

GOP senators meet with Trump on DHS

Published

5 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Four Senate Republicans are meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss funding the Department of Homeland Security, which has been shuttered for more than a month amid a standoff with Democrats over the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.

GOP lawmakers attending the Monday night meeting, according to a person granted anonymity to share details of a private confab, are Sens. Katie Britt of Alabama, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Bernie Moreno of Ohio and Steve Daines of Montana.

Britt is the chair of the appropriations subcommittee with oversight over DHS and has been helping lead negotiations to reopen the agency — though Trump warned Sunday night a deal should not be brokered until Democrats agree to help Republicans pass a partisan elections bill known as the SAVE America Act.

Congress

No DHS talks expected until Mullin is confirmed, White House official says

Published

8 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

The White House is holding off on further DHS funding negotiations until the Senate confirms Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to lead the agency, according to a White House official, granted anonymity to share internal thinking.

Democrats have previously canceled meetings, and given Mullin is close to confirmation, the official said, aides to President Donald Trump believe it’s better to wait so he can be a “full and active” participant in funding talks from the DHS side.

The White House earlier in the day rejected a Monday morning meetingwith a bipartisan group of senators who have been negotiating to end the DHS shutdown. Democrats had previously canceled a Saturday meeting.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on Mullin’s confirmation shortly before 8 p.m. Monday.

Some Senate Republicans are aiming to meet with Trump on Monday night to discuss the DHS funding situation, although no meeting has been officially scheduled.

The meeting, according to two people with knowledge of the matter, would be to try to pitch Trump on a plan to fund all of DHS except specific pieces of ICE, which have already been funded through last year’s megabill.

Trump was in Memphis, Tenn., earlier in the day, attending an anti-crime event and paying a visit to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s former home.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he expected additional meetings Monday but declined to say who was involved: “Conversations continue,” he said.

Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this report.