Congress

House Republicans to huddle with CBO chief amid reconciliation talks

Published

6 hours ago

July 13, 2026

A large group of House Republicans will meet this week with Congressional Budget Office Director Phillip Swagel as the GOP races to advance another party-line policy bill — and overcome disagreements over how to pay for it.

Swagel leads Capitol Hill’s nonpartisan budget scorekeeper, which calculates the official price tags and economic impacts of legislation. He will address the conservative Republican Study Committee at its weekly lunch Wednesday, according to an invite obtained by Blue Light News.

The huddle comes as Speaker Mike Johnson and fellow GOP leaders are gathering with House Budget Committee Republicans at Camp David to plot a strategy for convincing skeptical deficit hawks to greenlight a filibuster-skirting reconciliation bill paid for largely with cuts to so-called fraud across Medicare, Medicaid and other social programs.

Even if rank-and-file Republicans go along with the plan, however, those cuts to “fraud” that leaders are envisioning won’t be enough to offset the entire price tag under under CBO’s current scoring methods. Fiscal conservatives are demanding every dollar spent is immediately offset with corresponding spending cuts — including the Trump administration’s request that Congress approve at least tens of billions of funding for the Iran war.

Republicans in recent weeks have tried to explore whether Swagel would consider a taking different approach to scoring the fraud cuts expected in the package, to little avail. They could try again at the meeting Wednesday.

Congress

Senate Judiciary Dems call Epstein victim to testify against Todd Blanche for attorney general

Published

6 seconds ago

July 13, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Senate Judiciary Democrats have invited Danielle Bensky, a survivor of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, to testify against acting Attorney General Todd Blanche in his quest to lead the Justice Department permanently.

Bensky will sit on a panel of outside witnesses to be convened Thursday, the day after Blanche sits for his confirmation hearing before the panel.

Democrats decision to include her underscores their intent to make Blanche’s confirmation process about his handling of the release of the so-called Epstein files, which were rolled out late and with botched redactions.

“Dani Bensky is a brave survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s horrific crimes. Her name has been included in multiple batches of released Epstein Files, due to Todd Blanche’s failures,” Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said in a statement.

“She’s attempted multiple times to redact her information without success,” Durbin added.

A group of Epstein survivors separately released a video Monday evening urging senators to oppose Blanche for his role in overseeing the haphazard release of Epstein materials in DOJ’s possession.

The minority witness list will also include Liz Oyer, a former DOJ pardon attorney, according to Durbin, saying in his statement she was “fired by Blanche for refusing to rubberstamp gun ownership rights to Mel Gibson, a convicted domestic violence abuser and friend of Donald Trump.”

“They will offer compelling testimony about the dangers of Todd Blanche weaponizing the Justice Department in service of Donald Trump, rather than the American people,” Durbin said of both Oyer and Bensky.

Republicans have not yet announced who they will invite to testify in support of Blanche, who is also currently serving as the deputy attorney general.

Congress

Vance postpones House GOP visit

Published

45 minutes ago

July 13, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

Vice President JD Vance is rescheduling a planned Tuesday morning meeting with House Republicans, according to a person granted anonymity to describe private planning.

Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the GOP Conference chair, invited Vance to the weekly member meeting to deliver remarks and take questions. Blue Light News previously reported that Vance had planned to encourage them to reopen the floor and advance Trump’s agenda after leaders sought White House help with ending an internal GOP rebellion.

Congress

Russell Fry moves toward South Carolina Senate run

Published

45 minutes ago

July 13, 2026

Blue Light Newsroom

South Carolina Rep. Russell Fry is taking steps toward mounting a campaign to claim the Republican ballot line held by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham this November.

Five Republicans granted anonymity to describe private conversations about the developing special primary election described Fry’s interest in a run and said he has spoken to White House operatives about it. Some of the people believe he is a top contender for President Donald Trump’s critical endorsement.

Fry did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment on a possible Senate run. The snap primary is set to take place Aug. 11, with an Aug. 25 runoff to follow if no candidate wins an outright majority.

While South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster appointed Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to fill her brother’s seat Monday, she is widely expected to serve only in a caretaker role until a new senator is elected in November.

Fry quickly emerged as a potential successor after news of Graham’s death circulated Sunday. Trump hand-picked Fry to oust Rep. Tom Rice in his 2022 GOP primary after Rice voted to impeach Trump following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection. Fry has since enjoyed close ties to Trump’s political orbit.

Trump’s endorsement is likely to be highly significant, though possibly not field-clearing. The president initially endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the state’s GOP governor primary but later co-endorsed state Attorney General Alan Wilson after Evette lagged in polls. Wilson won the nomination last month.

“Until the President makes an announcement, any speculation is just speculation,” a White House official said in response to an inquiry Fry’s communications with the Trump orbit.