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Ernst has no plans to meet Hegseth today or Friday

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Sen. Joni Ernst said she does not have any plans to meet with Pete Hegseth Thursday or Friday, after reaffirming concerns over the Defense Secretary nominee earlier this morning.

When a reporter told Ernst Thursday morning that she did not sound like a “yes” on Hegseth, Ernst responded, “I think you’re right.”

Passing by a Senate office that Hegseth was waiting in, Ernst confirmed she had no plans in the next two days to meet with Hegseth. Earlier in the day, Hegseth declined to answer whether he was meeting with the Iowa senator again, only adding that they had a “great conversation” and an “ongoing conversation.”

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Congress

Another DHS meeting

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A meeting is now underway seeking potential paths for ending the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

Tom Homan, President Donald Trump’s border czar, is meeting with top Senate appropriators and other key senators. It’s the second meeting of the same group in as many days.

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Another DHS funding vote coming to House floor

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Speaker Mike Johnson is planning to put a stalled Homeland Security funding bill on the House floor a third time next week, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss private plans, as the GOP moves to further pressure Democrats to end the five-week closure.

Two versions of the bill have already passed the House, each time with just a few House Democrats breaking from party lines to back it. But the bill is still held up in the Senate, where Democrats have refused to approve DHS funding without adding new restrictions on immigration enforcement.

The House will also vote on a resolution next week in support of DHS workers, including TSA officers who have gone without pay as the spring break travel crush stresses U.S. airports.

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House GOP leaders punt controversial FISA vote to April

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House GOP leaders are punting a reauthorization vote for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that they had hoped to hold next week until mid-April, with a GOP hard-liner revolt over warrantless surveillance threatening to tank the legislation, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter granted anonymity to discuss the conference dynamics.

GOP leaders are still dealing with a dozen or so Republican members who want reforms to the spy powers extension, as Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to pass a clean, 18-month extension without any changes. President Donald Trump has also asked for the clean extension.

Johnson and GOP leaders will instead work through the remaining issues over the upcoming two-week recess and try to put the extension on the floor the week of April 14, the people said.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and a group of ultraconservatives have warned GOP leaders that the reauthorization would fail if Johnson tried to push it through next week.

Another House Republican told Blue Light News there was “no way” a rule to advance a clean FISA extension would pass next week.

Johnson can lose only two votes on a rule to advance the measure, and already a handful of GOP hard-liners have told Blue Light News they would oppose it.

The FISA reauthorization deadline is April 20, and the delay leaves barely any time for the Senate to act.

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