Congress: The Senate & The House

November 11

🤬 Dems' furious venting session

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told members on a private call today to keep the focus on health care and not on "a few individuals in the Senate," according to three lawmakers on the call.

Why it matters: Over a dozen House Democrats spoke on the call, with the vast majority slamming the deal, sources told us.

Roughly half of those who spoke on today's call either directly criticized Schumer or did so implicitly by agreeing with previous speakers who tore into him, sources said.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the former chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, argued that either the Senate leader "can't control his caucus," or he "gave his blessing" to the deal.
A Schumer spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zoom in: Jeffries stood by Schumer at a press conference today, saying he and "the overwhelming majority of Senate Democrats ... have waged a valiant fight" these last weeks.

When asked by reporters whether he believes Schumer is effective and should remain as Senate Democratic leader, Jeffries replied, "Yes and yes."

The bottom line: Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) said the public is incensed at what they see as Democrats caving on the shutdown fight, telling her colleagues, "People are f**king pissed."Share this story

— Andrew Solender

November 11

📍Johnson's big backlog

A ballooning list of member-driven fights will test Speaker Mike Johnson's grip on the conference when House lawmakers return as soon as this week.

Why it matters: The House hasn't voted since Sept. 19, when it was sent to recess after passing a government funding bill.

"There will be long days and long nights here for the foreseeable future," Johnson told reporters this morning.
His most immediate task, reopening the government, appears to have enough votes to sail through the chamber despite widespread Democratic opposition.

Zoom in: "Everything that we haven't been able to do this month, we will do," a House Republican familiar with leadership conversations said in October.

Epstein files: Johnson will have to swear in Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who's said she'll be the decisive signature on a discharge petition to release all DOJ files related to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. That will tee up a vote for early December.
Stock trading ban: Johnson will also be under pressure to advance Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's (R-Fla.) bill to ban members of Congress from trading stock. Luna posted on X last night that Johnson notified her that her bill would be marked up in committee, allowing her to back off her discharge petition threat.
ACA tax credits: House Democrats and some GOP moderates want a vote on extending the ACA tax credits. Some House Republicans have compromise bills, but conservatives oppose extending the subsidies. Johnson won't commit to holding a vote in the House, he said today.

— Kate Santaliz

November 11

🏥 Shaheen open to ACA subsidy changes

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) is open to income caps on ACA premium tax credits and looking into potential "fraud" in the program set to expire at the end of the year, she told reporters today.

Why it matters: Senate Majority Leader John Thune promised Democrats a vote on health care by mid-December, as part of a deal to start the process of reopening the government.

That gives negotiators like Shaheen the next few weeks to find a compromise before insurance premiums rise for 22 million Americans in 2026.

Zoom in: Shaheen, fresh off her success in clearing a path to end the government shutdown, smells another deal.

But first, her party needs to decide whether they want a political issue or a policy win, she said.
"A cap on income and who can benefit from the premium tax credits? I mean, that's legitimate. 94% of people earn $200,000 or less. We ought to be able to cap it at that," she said.
"They want to address fraud and abuse measures," she said. "I think we're all opposed to having people benefit if they shouldn't, and to getting fraud out of the system."

— Hans Nichols and Peter Sullivan

November 11

Senate approves bill to end the shutdown, sending it to the House

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed legislation Monday to reopen the government, bringing the longest shutdown in history closer to an end as a small group of Democrats ratified a deal with Republicans despite searing criticism from within their party.

https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-update-80ef7cada7b3c0559aca38886efd8f90?

🏛️ House votes tomorrow on ending shutdown

On Day 41, the Senate last night passed a bipartisan package to end the record-long government shutdown.

After Sunday's breakthrough procedural vote, unanimous agreement was reached to expedite final passage, Axios' Stef W. Kight reports.

The House vote is expected late tomorrow.

The final vote was 60 to 40, with seven Democrats and independent Angus King of Maine voting "yes" and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voting "no."

The seven Democrats are Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire ... Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia ... Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat ... Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania ... and Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen of Nevada.

What's in the bill ... Dems who voted nay.

November 11

Left rages at Schumer

The left's rage at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer keeps growing as the government moves closer to reopening, Axios' Andrew Solender reports.

Progressive activists wanted a shutdown, and Schumer voted against the compromise to end the shutdown — but the left is furious with his overall strategy.

💬 What they're saying: "Sen. Schumer has failed to meet this moment and is out of touch with the American people," Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) said in a post on X.

"It is time for us to have somebody who can stand up to Trump and someone that is unwavering, somebody who is more strategic, and, frankly, somebody with guts," Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) said in a phone interview.
"If I were a senator, I would be asking Senator Schumer to step down as minority leader. [He] simply cannot meet this moment," Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) said in a statement to Axios.
Democratic advocacy groups Indivisible and MoveOn have also joined the chorus.

⚡️ The other side: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) still has Schumer's back — and so do Senate Democrats. None of them has called on Schumer to step down.

Speaker Johnson faces an unruly House as lawmakers return for shutdown vote

After refusing to convene the U.S. House during the government shutdown, Speaker Mike Johnson is recalling lawmakers back into session — and facing an avalanche of pent-up legislative demands from those who have largely been sidelined from governing. The unfinished business will pose a fresh test to Johnson’s grip on power and put a renewed focus on his leadership. Read more.

November 12

House Shutdown Vote

The House reconvenes today and is expected to vote on a Senate bill to reopen the government. The vote comes on the 43rd day of the US' longest shutdown.

Seven Democrats and one independent joined 52 Republicans to pass the Senate bill, which would fund much of the government through January. The Agriculture Department—which facilitates SNAP food benefits to 42 million Americans—would be funded through September 2026. The bill does not extend COVID-era healthcare subsidies for 24 million people who purchase plans under the Affordable Care Act. Democratic leaders had sought to make reopening the government conditional on extending those subsidies, due to expire Dec. 31. ACA marketplace premiums are projected to rise up to 30%, from 18%, without an extension. Federal health subsidies cost an estimated $1.8T in 2023, roughly 7% of the US gross domestic product.

Separately, airlines canceled an estimated 6% of flights at 40 of the US' busiest airports yesterday amid ongoing air traffic controller shortages.

November 12

🏛️ House vote likely on Epstein files

It's been 50 days coming: Adelita Grijalva (D-Ariz.), elected Sept. 23, will be sworn in today.

Speaker Mike Johnson will swear in Grijalva at 4 p.m. ET today, just before the House begins votes to reopen the government after a nearly seven-week-long shutdown.

Why it matters: Grijalva will provide the 218th signature needed to force a full House vote on releasing Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein.

A discharge petition, led by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), will trigger a countdown to a floor vote expected in early December. The measure would still need Senate approval if it passes the House.

🗓️ On Day 43, the longest shutdown in U.S. history is expected to end by midnight: The House has been called back to vote on the Senate agreement funding the government through Jan. 30. President Trump says he'll sign it.

House members have been away 54 days.

🏍️ Returning House members tell us they fear airport snafus. Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) said he's "driving 951.8 miles from Wisconsin to DC on a Harley-Davidson."

Keep reading.

November 12

Although historic shutdown is nearly over, it leaves no winners and much frustration

The longest government shutdown in history could conclude as soon as today, Day 43, with almost no one happy with the final result. Read more.

What to know:

Democrats didn’t get the health insurance provisions they demanded added to the spending deal. Republicans, who control the levers of power in Washington, didn’t escape blame, according to polls and some state and local elections that went poorly for them.
Around 60% of Americans say Trump and Republicans in Congress have “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of responsibility for the shutdown, while 54% say the same about Democrats in Congress, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The fallout of the shutdown landed on millions of Americans, including federal workers who went without paychecks and airline passengers who had their trips delayed or canceled. An interruption in nutrition assistance programs contributed to long lines at food banks and added emotional distress going into the holiday season.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

November 13

Adelita Grijalva sworn in as the House’s newest member, paving the way for an Epstein files vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Adelita Grijalva was sworn in as the newest member of Congress on Wednesday, more than seven weeks after she won a special election in Arizona to fill the House seat last held by her late father.

https://apnews.com/article/adelita-grijalva-arizona-house-epstein-files-johnson-da75c9f0e362291f3d0edb1da99e019d?

ps:It's about time!!!!!

Epstein email says Trump ‘knew about the girls’ as White House calls its release a Democratic smear

Jeffrey Epstein wrote in a 2019 email to a journalist that Donald Trump “knew about the girls,” according to documents made public Wednesday, but what he knew — and whether it pertained to the sex offender’s crimes — is unclear. The White House quickly accused Democrats of selectively leaking the emails to smear the president. Read more.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

November 14

💪 Johnson's surprise margin

House Speaker Mike Johnson ran up the score on tonight's short-term spending package, passing a bill, 222-209, that will fund the government until Jan. 30.

Six Democrats voted with Republicans; Rep. Jared Golden (Maine) was the only Dem to vote in September to keep the government open.

Why it matters: For a party that had been bracing for a tough vote, the outcome was almost as surprising as the margin.

In a chamber where Johnson can only lose two or three votes, tonight's vote counts as a blowout.

Zoom out: By our count, this is the seventh House GOP victory when defeat was a real possibility. In April, we told you about Johnson's reconciliation hat trick.

Then he got Trump's tax cut and border security bill out the House door in May with a 215-214 vote. Then, to the president's desk in July with a 218-214 margin.
And in September, right before the shutdown, Johnson convinced his caucus to do something it hates, passing its first continuing resolution, 217-212.

Zoom in: The drama that has defined House Republicans this year was absent tonight.

There was very little public equivocation.
There was no floor phone call from President Trump.
The vote lasted 19 minutes, versus over seven hours for the "one big, beautiful bill."

Yes, but: Two Republicans, Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), voted against the measure.

Steube cited the Senate sneaking a provision into the package that allows senators to sue the government for up to $500,000 if their electronic records are obtained without their knowledge for his opposition.
Other members were also debating withholding their support but opted to vote "yes" after Johnson committed to bringing up a standalone measure to repeal the provision next week.
"I was very angry about it. I was, and a lot of my members, we had no idea that was in there, and I did not appreciate that," Johnson said today.

— Hans Nichols and Kate Santaliz

November 14

👀 Dems' next long shot

House Democrats have a plan of attack for extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Clark told members during a closed-door caucus this afternoon.

They'll introduce a discharge petition for a three-year extension of the credits, multiple sources familiar with the matter told us.

The big picture: The three-year proposal goes beyond the one- and two-year extensions proposed by various bipartisan groups of House members.

Rep. Bacon, one of House Republicans' most centrist members and an architect of the two-year extension proposal, told us the discharge petition is "DOA."
He said Democrats "need to find a compromise" with Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee to extend the ACA tax credits.

Go deeper

— Andrew Solender

Epstein Email Dump

The House Oversight Committee released more than 20,000 pages of subpoenaed documents from its ongoing investigation into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The decision followed Democrats' release of three emails by Epstein referencing President Donald Trump.

In a 2011 email, Epstein asserted to co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell that Trump "spent hours" in his home with Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein's victims. In 2016, Giuffre—who has since died by suicide—said she did not witness Trump engaging in inappropriate behavior with minors. A second email from 2011 referred to Trump as "the dog that hasn't barked." In a third email from 2019, Epstein asserted to author Michael Wolff that Trump "knew about the girls." Trump maintains his friendship with Epstein ended in the early 2000s, prior to Epstein's 2008 conviction.

Following the documents' release, a group of 218 House members signed a petition to force a floor vote requiring the Justice Department to release more documents. See live updates here.

November 14

Government reopens

The longest shutdown in US history is over after President Donald Trump signed a funding bill to reopen the government on Wednesday. It follows a bitter, 43-day standoff in Congress over the country's spending priorities. Notably absent from the funding package are any provisions to extend health care subsidies — a major sticking point for Democratic lawmakers. Trump's signature paves the way for paychecks to flow to government employees, as well as the resumption of critical food and nutrition services relied on by tens of millions of Americans. However, it only extends funding until January 30, giving lawmakers a little over two months to avoid a similar shutdown situation from playing out next year.

Government reopens

The longest shutdown in US history is over after President Donald Trump signed a funding bill to reopen the government on Wednesday. It follows a bitter, 43-day standoff in Congress over the country's spending priorities. Notably absent from the funding package are any provisions to extend health care subsidies — a major sticking point for Democratic lawmakers. Trump's signature paves the way for paychecks to flow to government employees, as well as the resumption of critical food and nutrition services relied on by tens of millions of Americans. However, it only extends funding until January 30, giving lawmakers a little over two months to avoid a similar shutdown situation from playing out next year.

Immigration

A federal judge ordered the release of more than 600 people arrested as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Illinois, according to CNN affiliate WLS, dealing a blow to the president's sweeping deportation efforts. Attorneys from the National Immigrant Justice Center and the ACLU alleged more than 3,000 people were arrested between June and October in "Operation Midway Blitz." Following the ruling, 615 of those arrested must be granted bond by November 21. The decision comes amid ongoing concerns over racial profiling and constitutional rights as the administration's broad deportation campaign targets people of all ages, with arrests taking place outside businesses, court hearings, traffic stops and workplaces.

November 15

Key Senate Dem Says Party Caved on Shutdown to Make a Symbolic Point About the GOP

Outraged voters and politicians alike are demanding to know why a group of Senate Democrats sided with Republicans to reopen the government without securing any concessions on preserving health care coverage — just days after the party swept last week’s elections with a burst of energy fueled, in part, by its willingness to fight back.

https://theintercept.com/2025/11/10/democrats-republicans-government-shutdown-aca-deal/?

Shutdown aftermath

The government is reopening its agencies after the record 43-day shutdown ended on Wednesday. Roughly 1.4 million federal workers who haven't received a paycheck in over a month are still waiting for back pay. Many of these employees across the US told CNN that they're contending with more than six weeks of backlogs and thinner staff. At the IRS, backlogs in tax filings from those who filed for extensions will take "two to three months to catch up," said Gibson Jones, president of the National Treasury Employees Union Local 98 in Memphis. With more than 40 days of untouched mail at the IRS, he added, taxpayers expecting refunds should anticipate delays. President Donald Trump's top economic adviser also estimates the shutdown likely led to a loss of 60,000 private-sector jobs.

November 15

🤬 Anti-Schumer caucus

The end of the government shutdown has sparked the largest groundswell against a Democratic leader since last year's effort to push then-President Biden off the presidential ticket.

Why it matters: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer isn't up for reelection until 2028 and is unlikely to heed calls from House Dems to step aside. But House lawmakers are often closer to the party's pulse than their Senate colleagues.

"I think it's very widespread," Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told us of the anti-Schumer sentiment in the House.
"People are frustrated, because we as members of the House are in direct contact with our constituents all the time ... and a constant theme is: 'We need something different.'"

Zoom in: Schumer voted against the deal and privately fought to stop it, as we've reported.

While some Senate Democrats have publicly criticized the lack of unity within the caucus, none have publicly called for Schumer to step aside.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries publicly stands by Schumer, as does former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who told us "he should" stay on.
"If he's good enough for Hakeem Jeffries, he's good enough for me," Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.) said of Schumer.

🤬 But many House Democrats say the Senate Democratic leader failed to keep his caucus in line.

"It is past time to start thinking about new leadership for Senate Democrats that meets the moment and the urgency we're facing right now," said Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.).
The need to meet the moment was echoed by Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), and retiring Rep. Chuy García (D-Ill.) told us he hopes Schumer "seriously thinks about stepping down."
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said she believes Schumer privately blessed the deal despite publicly opposing it, telling us: "They should get somebody new."

Zoom out: They join Reps. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Mike Levin (D-Calif.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who have previously called for Schumer to resign.

Reps. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.) and Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas) also told us this week they believe Schumer should step down.
The lawmakers join an expanding bloc of progressive grassroots groups and candidates for Congress who have demanded that Schumer step down.

The bottom line: Some Democrats who spoke to us said they are simply anxious to move on from the whole ordeal and go after Republicans.

Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) made that argument in a closed-door caucus meeting yesterday, according to four sources familiar with her remarks.
"Republicans are to blame," she told her colleagues. "So stop pissing on each other and start pissing on them."

— Andrew Solender

November 15

You can end a shutdown overnight — but you can’t reopen a government that fast

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over — on paper, at least. But the American public isn’t done with it yet: Getting everything back up and running doesn’t happen all at once. Read more.

What to know:

The shutdown caused significant disruptions in aviation, and staff shortages, combined with some troubling safety data, prompted the government to order airlines to cut some of their flights over the past week to relieve pressure on the system. Those cuts aren’t increasing right now: the Federal Aviation Administration won’t lift the order until safety metrics improve. Airlines say they expect to resume normal operations quickly after that.
Among the most high-profile impacts of the shutdown was on the SNAP program, which serves around 42 million people — about 1 in 8 Americans — in lower-income households. On Thursday, state officials said they were working quickly to get full benefits to the millions of people who missed their regular monthly payments. Some states said SNAP recipients should receive their full monthly benefits starting Thursday or Friday, though it could take up to a week.
The country’s national parks largely stayed open through the shutdown with limited staffing. Outside groups and state governments had picked up the tab during the shutdown to keep visitor centers running and help with trash cleanup at many parks. National Park Service employees were ordered back to work Thursday. It will take time for rangers to fully assess parks, including backcountry areas, and more damage could yet be discovered, said Kristen Brengel with the National Parks Conservation Association.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

November 16

🚨The next hard deadline

Millions of Americans have a huge financial stake in the next few weeks of Senate negotiations over the Affordable Care Act's enhanced tax credits.

Why it matters: Absent a deal, health care coverage costs could double next year for people who rely on ACA exchange plans.

Zoom in: Senators from both parties are cautiously optimistic that a bipartisan deal to extend the subsidies is possible. But there are significant political headwinds.

House Speaker Mike Johnson won't guarantee a vote in the House, even if enough Republicans support a bipartisan deal to get it through the Senate.
President Trump would need to sign off, but his recent Truth Social posts have emphasized problems with the ACA — not a need to continue the expiring tax credits.
If no bipartisan deal comes together in the Senate, Republicans are expected to put forward their own proposal.

Between the lines: Most Senate Republicans have been adamant that any deal to extend the tax credits will need to be short-term and require "reforms."

Income caps: Conservative Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) told us he could see himself supporting a deal if an income cap was placed back on the enhanced subsidies, and even Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) has said such a change is reasonable.
Fraud prevention: Republicans have raised concerns about $0 premium plans, which they say allow fraudsters to sign people up without their knowledge, costing the government more money. One idea being floated is a low-cost premium, such as $10.
Hyde amendment: "We're not doing something without the Hyde amendment attached," Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) told reporters last week, an argument many Republicans agree with. The hot topic of abortion has the potential to derail any bipartisan compromise.

The bottom line: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), leaving a meeting of Finance Committee Republicans on Monday, said no "consensus" exists on what to do on health care, but he thinks a deal is possible in the next month.

Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) said he'll "be open-minded," adding, "Let's see how all this plays out."

— Stef Kight and Peter Sullivan

November 16

💪 Key players on ACA talks

In this new phase, the focus is shifting from the small bipartisan gang that held talks on reopening the government.

The Senate Finance Committee, led by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), is expected to lead the negotiations — with Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) members also closely involved, multiple sources familiar with early talks tell us.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) chairs HELP, but is also a member of Finance. He is passionate about health care issues, up for reelection next year and a trained physician. He's pushing a plan he says fulfills Trump's call to send the subsidy money to consumers directly by filling flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) — Finance's ranking member — is a key player on the Democratic side, as is Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. A Schumer spokesperson said: "The bill Democrats bring to the floor will be a caucus product."

Other key voices to watch include Sens. Marshall, Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Jon Husted (R-Ohio) for Republicans. For Democrats, watch Sens. Shaheen and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

— Stef Kight and Peter Sullivan

November 16

🐣 Nepo mania on the Hill

Illustration of a ballot with a family tree on it.

Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

We've written all about the lawmakers fleeing Congress. Now we'll tell you about the lawmakers whose kids want to join the family business.

Shaheen's daughter Stefany Shaheen is running in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District.
Rep. Chellie Pingree's (D-Maine) daughter Hannah Pingree is running for governor of Maine.
Sen. Angus King's (I-Maine) son Angus King III is running for governor of Maine.
Rep. Joe Wilson's (R-S.C.) son Alan Wilson is running for governor of South Carolina.
Rep. Andy Biggs' (R-Ariz.) daughter Mylie Biggs is running in 2026 for a state legislative district her father once held.

Zoom out: President John F. Kennedy's grandson Jack Schlossberg is running to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) in New York's 12th Congressional District.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's son-in-law Michael Alfonso is running to represent Wisconsin in the U.S. House seat Duffy held from 2011 to 2019.
Beau Bayh, son of former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and grandson of former Sen. Birch Bayh (D-Ind.), launched a bid in October for Indiana's secretary of state.

Between the lines: Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Bob Latta (R-Ohio), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Mike Collins (R-Ga.), Carol Miller (R-W.Va.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Rob Menendez (D-N.J) — and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — all had parents who served in the House.

Sen. Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) father also served in the House.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska) father was a senator.

What's next: In 2028, Christine Pelosi is running for California's state Senate.

— April Rubin

November 18

⚾️ Baseball betting probe

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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

A Senate committee is investigating Major League Baseball following a recent high-profile betting scandal, Axios' April Rubin reports.

The probe signals more congressional oversight into what the Senate Commerce Committee labeled an "integrity crisis" in American sports, per a letter sent to baseball commissioner Rob Manfred from the panel.

🎰 Committee chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) requested information from Manfred on allegations of gambling and game-fixing in the league.

🧢 That comes after Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted on multiple federal charges related to manipulating game outcomes.
🏀 The NBA has also been ensnared in recent betting scandals.

"An isolated incident of game rigging might be dismissed as an aberration, but the emergence of manipulation across multiple leagues suggests a deeper, systemic vulnerability," Cruz and Cantwell wrote.

Go deeper ... Read the letter.

November 18

🤬 Groups swarm Schumer

The Democrats who want Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer gone are striking out in their early search for who could replace him.

Why it matters: Progressive critics are united in their fury at Schumer, who's led Senate Democrats since 2017. But they're missing two critical ingredients: A clear path to his ouster, and a Democratic senator who'd want the job.

National progressive groups floated Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) as a possible Schumer replacement late last week.
Van Hollen isn't pursuing Schumer's job, a source familiar told us, but he does want a "serious discussion on how to more effectively fight back" against President Trump.

Between the lines: Van Hollen has quietly been building his national profile, and some progressives want him to run for president. Progressives say they are open to other leadership hopefuls.

Talking points privately circulated by the progressive groups last week argued Van Hollen is "uniquely prepared for this moment."
Van Hollen spoke at a private gathering of national Indivisible leaders in Washington in June, a source said — a sign he has higher ambitions.

The big picture: "There's no expectation that Democratic senators call the question on Schumer right now," Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, told us today.

"The conversation is started, the conversation is legitimized and the conversation is moving forward, and the last people to accept the point will be those closest to Chuck Schumer, including some of his fellow senators," Green said.
Green pointed to Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), both of whom have steered clear of Schumer criticism following the end of the shutdown.

The bottom line: Green likened the current moment to when figures like Ezra Klein and Jon Stewart got "the conversation going about [former President Biden's] suitability to be the standard-bearer as president."

— Stephen Neukam and Holly Otterbein

November 18

😤 Trump snares Johnson

Trump's stunning reversal on the Epstein discharge petition has undercut months of work by Speaker Mike Johnson.

Why it matters: The Epstein issue has plagued the House since the summer. Now the speaker is about to suffer a clear defeat over Reps. Thomas Massie's (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna's (D-Calif.) discharge petition.

Johnson cut the week short before the August recess after Democrats forced multiple votes on releasing the files. He then kept the House out of session for nearly two months — a move that, intentionally or not, delayed the discharge petition from reaching the floor.
"What I am opposed to is the reckless disregard that was used in drafting this discharge petition," Johnson told reporters on Wednesday.
Tomorrow's vote is expected to pick up significant GOP support, including from Rep. Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), the highest-ranking woman in the House GOP leadership.

Zoom in: Johnson's posture about the legislation hasn't changed, a source familiar with his thinking told us.

But after months of railing against it, he opened the door today to supporting it.
"My support will be conditioned upon an agreement in the Senate that if indeed they process it, they've got to fix the terrible provisions in it," Johnson told reporters, adding that he hasn't worked to kill the bill.

Between the lines: Johnson opposed the effort since its inception and privately urged his members to stay clear of it.

He's called the petition "moot," arguing that the House Oversight Committee's investigation into late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will yield more information.
He's insisted the bill does not adequately protect Epstein's victims, though it directs the DOJ to redact identifying details and child sexual abuse materials.

The bottom line: Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) predicted the vote would be 400 something to zero.

— Kate Santaliz and Hans Nichols

November 18

🗳 Jeffries primary challenge

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries faces a potential primary challenger, just weeks after he told us the idea was not a "serious question."

New York City Council member Chi Ossé, a 27-year-old ally of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, filed paperwork today to run for Jeffries' Brooklyn-based congressional seat.

Why it matters: Ossé blamed top Democratic officials for "not only failing to effectively fight back against Donald Trump, they have also failed to deliver a vision that we can all believe in."

Ossé recently joined the Democratic Socialists of America and was a Black Lives Matter organizer before his election to the city council.

Between the lines: Axios was first to report Ossé was considering a bid against Jeffries.

When we asked Jeffries in October about a possible challenge from Ossé, the Democratic leader replied, "If you ask me a serious question, I'll give you a serious answer."
"Come on in, the water's warm," Jeffries said today of a primary challenge.

— Andrew Solender and Holly Otterbein

November 19

Congress acts swiftly to force release of Epstein files, and Trump agrees to sign bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Both the House and Senate acted decisively Tuesday to pass a bill to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a remarkable display of approval for an effort that had struggled for months to overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership.

https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-congress-trump-house-297a66ce48bd2a67c571bc643e32ef71?

BREAKING: House votes overwhelmingly to force release of Epstein files, sending bill to Senate

The House voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill Tuesday to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a remarkable display of approval for an effort that had struggled for months to overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership. Read more.

November 19

🏛️ The House voted 427-1 to compel the Justice Department to release all of its Jeffrey Epstein files. The only "no" was Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), a fervent Trump supporter. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said his chamber will try to pass the Epstein bill quickly and send it to Trump. Go deeper.

November 19

GOP's Texas urgency

Texas Republicans are now looking to the U.S. Supreme Court to resurrect their new congressional map that was supposed to net them five GOP seats.

Why it matters: The map that started the redistricting wars isn't dead. But it's under siege, putting Speaker Johnson's majority in grave peril.

A ruling today from three federal judges found there is "substantial evidence" the map is "racially gerrymandered."
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton fired back in a statement: "The Big Beautiful Map was entirely legal and passed for partisan purposes to better represent the political affiliations of Texas."

Now GOP lawmakers are pinning their hopes on an emergency ruling from the Supreme Court.

"The Supreme Court will have their chance soon!" said Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), a former chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Driving the news: Texas' Dec. 8 candidate filing deadline essentially gives the Supreme Court 20 days to ride to the rescue.

The urgency is real: It's difficult, but not impossible, to redraw district lines after candidates have filed to run.

The other side: Democrats, especially those buffeted by the new maps, are also eyeing an eleventh-hour decision from the Supreme Court with trepidation.

"I think the Texas Republican appeals court got this right," said Rep. Vicente Gonzalez Jr. (D-Texas).
"And I certainly hope our Supreme Court would agree with that or just stay out of the way."

What's next: Republican sources told us they expect the Supreme Court to move quickly.

One GOP source aligned with Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) told us SCOTUS could strike down parts of the map but leave the rest intact.
The source pointed to the redrawn 9th and 18th congressional districts as vulnerable to being struck down.
The 9th is represented by Rep. Al Green (D). The 18th was represented by the late Rep. Sylvester Turner, and a special election to replace him is set for January.

— Hans Nichols and Kate Santaliz

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