Congress: The Senate & The House

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? Senate tees up tax fight

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Finance Republicans began hashing out what to do on taxes in a closed meeting tonight.

• Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) huddled separately right after the Senate meeting.

Why it matters: The two chambers passed very different resolutions. They'll need to get on the same page to kick off the reconciliation process, which allows the Senate to get around its 60-vote filibuster.

• "We're working to put it all together in a way that makes the tax cuts permanent, prevents an increase in taxes, and deals with the key components and promises of the administration," Senate GOP Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told us.

Zoom in: One of the biggest changes the Senate is looking at is how it counts the cost of extending the 2017 Trump tax cuts.

• Senate leadership wants to adopt a current policy baseline — which makes the cost $0. Deficit hawks don't like the idea, since it reduces pressure for spending cuts.
• "My understanding is that is a decision a parliamentarian is going to make," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters after the meeting.

— Stef Kight

 

? Johnson's tech policy push

Speaker Mike Johnson is "anxious" to get the Take It Down Act to the House floor, he said today during a roundtable with First Lady Melania Trump and victims of child sexual abuse material.

Why it matters: Online safety legislation is moving quickly this Congress, despite tech policy bills often struggling to make it over the finish line, Maria Curi reports for Axios Pro: Tech Policy.

• The Take It Down Act —which would force platforms to remove child sexual abuse material and nonconsensual intimate images within 48 hours of being notified by the victim — unanimously passed the Senate last month.

House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) said he'll hold an educational hearing on the bill "very, very soon" and promised it would be a top priority for the committee "over the next few weeks."

• House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said he "has no doubt" it would get to President Trump's desk.

Co-sponsor Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) wasn't there but said in a statement she is thankful for the first lady's support.

• "We must provide victims of online abuse with legal protections when intimate images are shared without their consent, especially now that deepfakes are creating horrifying new opportunities for abuse," Klobuchar said.

— Maria Curi

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Ethical Concerns Surround Sen. Joni Ernst’s Relationships With Top Military Officials Who Lobbied Her Committee

Earlier this year, the Air Force revealed that the general who oversaw its lobbying before Congress had inappropriate romantic relationships with five women, including three who worked on Capitol Hill.

https://www.propublica.org/article/joni-ernst-congress-military-relationships?

Speaker Johnson tells GOP lawmakers to skip town halls after an onslaught of protests

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson is encouraging Republican lawmakers to skip town halls that have been filled with protesters decrying the Trump administration’s slashing of federal government, echoing the president’s claims that the demonstration’s are fueled by professional protesters.

https://apnews.com/article/town-halls-musk-doge-trump-gop-749d91ea516284057e4c7bcb1615527e?

? Johnson's hard sell

House Republicans are planning to pressure vulnerable Democrats to help them pass a short-term funding bill next week.

• "I think the 13 Democrats sitting in Trump seats ought to think twice about shutting down Trump's government," Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), chair of the House Appropriations Committee, told reporters.

Why it matters: GOP leaders are talking big about passing a government funding bill with just Republican votes, probably in the House but definitely in the Senate.

• Senate Majority Leader John Thune will be on the hunt for at least eight Democrats to overcome a filibuster.

Driving the news: House Speaker Mike Johnson has decided to try to pass a "clean continuing resolution," which would fund the government through Sept. 30 without any significant policy changes. He says Trump is on board.

• Trump and Johnson are pulling out all the stops to convince potential holdout Republicans to support a funding bill this time.
• "But I think once people understand the necessity of it, I think they'll get on board and we'll pass it," Johnson told reporters today.

The goal is to drive up the number of Republican votes to help insulate themselves from blame if the government does shut down. The higher the number of GOP "yeas," the more insurance they think they are buying.

• Elon Musk will pay a visit to the Capitol tomorrow to meet with House Republicans. Trump will have a separate meeting with House Freedom Caucus members.

Zoom in: Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Rep Andy Harris (R-Md.), the HFC chair, indicated to Johnson and Thune this afternoon they would lay down their arms on this spending fight.

• "We stand ready to work with you to ensure the government remains open in a way that preserves President Trump's options to root out wasteful government spending and fully continues DOGE's important work," they wrote.

The bottom line: The conservatives added a warning, hinting they would oppose any legislation that tried to undermine Musk's and Trump's DOGE efforts.

• "We will not support a government funding package that would be weaponized against President Trump at the very moment he is seeking to make good on the promises he made to the American people."

— Hans Nichols

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? GOP vs. in-person

The House GOP is urging its members to stop holding in-person town halls, fueled by the belief they're being baited by out-of-town activists. "They're professional protesters," Johnson said at his weekly press conference. "So why would we give them a forum to do that right now?" Johnson was backing up NRCC Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), who told members this morning to avoid in-person meetings in favor of tele-town halls and other forums. "We will never let them hide," Jeffries said of the GOP's retreat from in-person meetings. Zoom in: A pair of forces are colliding at these town halls. Trump and House GOP leaders are happy to label any backlash as paid protesters instead of angry constituents. Liberal activist groups are happy to take credit for protesters. Indivisible is threatening to host empty-chair versions if lawmakers stop holding meetings, and MoveOn told us it was sending activists to the town halls. Go deeper — Andrew Solender

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? Senate "no" voters on Trump nominees

Data: Senate roll call votes; Chart: Axios Visuals With all but two of Trump's Cabinet picks confirmed, nine Senate Democrats stand out for their blanket refusal to vote for nominees not named Marco Rubio, as one poster noted on X. UN ambassador nominee Elise Stefanik has yet to get a hearing, while Labor nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer awaits a floor vote.

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? The Senate will vote today on deregulating Musk’s latest business venture. The GOP bill would repeal a rule subjecting digital payment apps to the same oversight as credit cards and bank accounts. Three days after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized the rule, Musk tweeted that the agency should be “deleted.” Soon after, Musk’s company X announced a deal to become a payment app, and then Musk’s DOGE began dismantling the CFPB — part of the Trump administration’s larger campaign to defang agencies regulating Musk’s empire. 

ps:Conflict of Interest continues to come up with this guy!!!!!

 

? Thune's risky to-do list

Senate Majority Leader John Thune's tricky month keeps getting trickier.

Why it matters: New debt ceiling fears, GOP holdouts and unexpected demands from Trump are piling up fast.

• ? Thune was blindsided last night by Trump calling for Congress to end the CHIPs Act, which gives federal incentives to build semiconductor plants in the U.S. "There were a lot of Republicans ... who voted for it," Thune told reporters today.
• Trump said he wants border funds "without delay." That's the Senate plan, but Trump sided with the House plan instead.
• Thune told us today: Now "what we were trying to get done here, seems like what he's asking for."

Zoom in: Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) are new skeptics of the Senate's plan to make Trump's 2017 tax cuts permanent — and cost $0.

• "It's not clear at this point at least how we might proceed on that," Thune told reporters today. "Part of it will be determined by making sure all our members are on board."

? The House is also pushing on the debt ceiling. House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) warned today the ceiling may hit early if tax revenues are soft.

• The Senate wants to deal with it separately, instead of the House approach of adding it to reconciliation.

The intrigue: To add to the list, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is pitching a sweeping rescission package — and Elon Musk is thrilled about the idea.

• "We'll see," Thune said when asked about it. "I mean, obviously, a rescission package has to be submitted by the White House."

— Stef Kight

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? Senate Dems warm to CR

Senate Democrats are indicating they won't tank a short-term government funding package, barring any eleventh-hour GOP surprises.

• Johnson, with Trump's help, is steadily building House GOP support to extend last year's spending levels through Sept. 30 without any significant policy changes.

Why it matters: A truly clean bill will make life easier for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

• Schumer has been clear he wants to avoid a shutdown. Even talking about wanting one is a big no-no.
• If the GOP can get a clean CR through the House, and avoid multiple GOP defectors in the Senate, it should be doable to get enough Dems on board to reach 60 votes, multiple sources tell us.
• The GOP hasn't "engaged in discussions with us yet, either me" or House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Schumer said yesterday. "So we have to wait to see what their plan is."

The big picture: The math leaves Schumer with lots of breathing room to let other irate Democrats express their fury with Trump.

• "I don't want to see another year of them dismembering the government," Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told us today, when asked whether he would support a stopgap package.
• "It's not something that I want to see," Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) said today.

Between the lines: Schumer has told Democrats in private meetings to not angle for a shutdown, we scooped last week.

• But in those same meetings, Democrats made clear to Schumer they weren't willing to support a funding package that included DOGE cuts.

What we're watching: The heaviest lift is on Johnson and Thune, who are navigating slim majorities.

• That task looked simpler today after House Freedom Caucus members met with Trump at the White House and gave the green light.
• "We're ready to advance the ball next week," Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said.

— Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols

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10 Democrats join with Republicans to censure Rep. Al Green for Trump speech protest

Ten Democrats joined with House Republicans on Thursday to censure Rep. Al Green for his protest during President Donald Trump’s address to Congress this week — a formal condemnation of the Texas Democrat’s actions.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/06/politics/al-green-censure-trump-protest-house?

? Dems punt on trans rights

Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Bloomberg via Getty Images Senate Democrats want to leave the issue of trans athletes playing in women's sports to state and local governments. Why it matters: Democrats privately admit they need a sharper response to counter Republican attacks on their support for transgender rights, especially when it involves sports. In the Senate, their emerging strategy is to argue that one part of the issue is best left to the states, while acknowledging concerns about athletes gaining an unfair advantage. "There are basic issues of fairness here," said Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) "There are really important issues that we should be discussing on the local level, within sports leagues and within conferences." Between the lines: The Democratic messaging effort has been spearheaded by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), sources tell us. Baldwin, the first openly gay person elected to the Senate, faced a barrage of attacks on the topic in her 2024 reelection campaign. She feared Republicans were flooding the zone with their attacks without Democrats having a clear and consistent rebuttal. "Republicans in Washington are saying they know better than parents and local school districts," she said in a statement. "They are wrong. I trust parents, schools and local sports leagues to make these decisions for their children." Zoom in: The issue was thrust into the public today by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who broke with progressives by saying transgender participation in sports was an "issue of fairness." "It's deeply unfair," Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, told Charlie Kirk on his inaugural podcast, "This Is Gavin Newsom." Senate Democrats this week blocked a bill that would have banned trans women from women's sports. Not a single Democrat voted to bring the bill to the floor. What they are saying: Some Senate Democrats agreed with Newsom on the sports fairness issue, but they said to be careful that the overall conversation doesn't demonize transgender athletes. They also want to avoid federal overreach. "It's leading to more bullying. It's leading to more mental health issues as people are feeling targeted," Booker told us. "Yes, when it comes to sports leagues, they have to find a way to create fairness." Said Sen. Angus King (I-Maine): "I understand the concern. I have a daughter who was a high school athlete. Interestingly, when I asked her about this issue, she said, by all means, there should not be a federal ban." "Every state and every community is going to come to their own decision on it," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told Axios. The bottom line: "Everyone deserves a level playing field, but the governing bodies — the parents, the coaches, the NCAA ... need to make those decisions," said Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.). "We let local schools make those kinds of decisions," said Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) "There's no one set of facts. These are going to be pretty complicated situations." — Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols

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? Jeffries' flex

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios House Democrats are playing for keeps in the government funding fight, explicitly withholding their support from a bill to stop a shutdown. "Medicaid is our redline," said a letter from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' leadership team to Democratic members. Why it matters: It's the most consequential and calculating threat from Jeffries in the Trump era, using his power as minority leader to extract clear concessions from the majority. Jeffries' threat clashes with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's advice to his Senate Democrats. Schumer thinks it's awful politics for Democrats to talk about wanting a shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson is now on notice that Jeffries is willing to play chicken over a potential government shutdown. House Democrats are holding out for guarantees that President Trump and DOGE won't slash programs already authorized by Congress. That's delayed a grand appropriations bargain for weeks, but today is the first time leadership has been so blunt with their warning about a stopgap. ? That brings us to Johnson, who's working with a margin of none: A Trump flip-flop or Elon Musk tweet about spending could blow up the GOP's unity. Republicans united this week around a "clean" funding extension, but they don't have the votes to go it alone. Johnson knows Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is a "no," but Trump is helping hold the line. Another GOP "no" vote could force Johnson to seek Democratic help. If Johnson does manage to pass a bill, Senate Majority Leader John Thune will need at least eight Democratic votes. Republicans are eyeing about a dozen possible Senate Democrats among those up for tough 2026 races, states packed with federal workers and moderates from Trump states. But if the Senate GOP defector list grows beyond Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Thune's math gets harder fast. The bottom line: Both Johnson's and Jeffries's strength is a function of their numbers. For both leaders, there's power in unity — and they will look to enforce it. — Hans Nichols, Andrew Solender and Stephen Neukam

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Politicians can demand more logging in the Black Hills, but they can’t make trees grow faster

Does the Black Hills need a viable timber industry to help manage its forests? Absolutely. Recently, U.S. Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds, U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson and South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden have been pressuring U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to increase timber harvesting in the Black Hills National Forest.

https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/politicians-can-demand-more-logging-black-hills-they-cant-make-trees-grow-faster?

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?️ House districts most exposed to DOGE

Of the 60 congressional districts with the most federal workers, a slight majority are actually represented by Republicans — many of whom are publicly cheering on Elon Musk's hack-and-slash efforts, Axios' Andrew Solender reports. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is on the list. So is Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), who leads the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), the chair of the House Appropriations Committee. Several of their endangered GOP incumbents — including Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) and Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) — are on there as well. ? By the numbers: The districts with highest proportions of federal workers are in D.C., Virginia or Maryland, according to a 2024 Congressional Research Service report. Once you get past the top 10, ruby-red states — including Oklahoma, Alabama and Texas — start to show up more. ? Zoom in: The Defense Department — which isn't being spared DOGE's wrath — accounts for high concentrations in some districts, like those of Kiggans and Cole. Rep. Nick Begich (R-Alaska) has a large military constituency. But agencies like the Interior Department, FAA and Postal Service also have significant presences, The Anchorage Daily News reports. ? Between the lines: Even as they have applauded DOGE's cuts in public, some Republicans have privately expressed pause at Musk's ruthless tactics. Musk is "more liked by people in the White House than anyone here [in Congress] because we have to deal with the ramifications of what he says," a House Republican recently told Axios.

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House Republicans unveil bill to avoid shutdown and they’re daring Democrats to oppose it

House Republicans unveiled a spending bill Saturday that would keep federal agencies funded through Sept. 30. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is teeing up the spending bill for a vote on Tuesday despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats. He also is betting that Republicans can muscle the legislation through the House largely by themselves. Read more.   Government funding House Speaker Mike Johnson formally unveiled plans over the weekend for a government funding stopgap through September 30 — a measure intended to stave off a potential government shutdown ahead of Friday’s deadline and buy time for President Donald Trump and GOP leaders to steer key pieces of the president’s agenda through Congress this summer. House Republicans hope to vote on the bill this week. Democratic leaders quickly slammed the door on supporting the measure, raising the specter of a high-stakes clash this week. The president has endorsed the measure. GOP leadership aides said that it would increase defense spending by about $6 billion while domestic spending would drop by about $13 billion. If Democrats block the measure, they will risk taking the blame for shutting down the government unless they can convince the public it’s Trump’s fault. If they allow the measure to pass, they could again look like they lack the strength and purpose to resist Trump’s presidency.

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Bernie Sanders steps into leadership of the anti-Trump resistance At 83 years old, Bernie Sanders is not running for president again. But the stooped and silver-haired democratic socialist has emerged as a leader of the resistance to Donald Trump’s second presidency. Read more.

Why this matters: Since losing the White House, Democrats across Washington have struggled to coalesce behind a consistent message or messenger to stop Trump’s aggressive moves to slash the government and weaken federal oversight. There has been no centralized movement to organize the anti-Trump resistance.   Beyond Sanders’ tour, angry voters have so far relied on grassroots groups like Indivisible to organize a series of local protests. They have been effective in pressuring Trump’s allies in some cases. A number of House Republicans facing angry questions have criticized Musk or questioned the cuts being carried out at his allies’ behest.   Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, among the more outspoken Trump critics in Congress, said that Democrats must be better organized. Murphy acknowledged that Sanders still has plenty of detractors within the Democratic Party who view him and his progressive policy ideas as too radical.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ A single day of Trump and Musk’s cost-cutting campaign remakes huge sections of government   States sue President Trump’s administration over mass firings of probationary federal workers   Trump administration cancels $400M in grants and contracts with Columbia University   Trump order denies student loan relief to nonprofit workers engaged in ‘improper’ activity   New EPA guidance says spending items greater than $50,000 must get approval from DOGE   A staff office for the US nuclear waste repository will no longer face DOGE cuts   What to know about Social Security office closures driven by Musk’s DOGE   WATCH: Trump insists there was 'no clash' between Musk and Rubio over DOGE cuts   Meet Amy Gleason, the DOGE administrator who may — or may not — be wielding extraordinary power   Noem taps new ICE leaders and moves to identify leakers   Trump is forcing a generational shift in GOP foreign policy. Here’s how Republicans are responding   Trump’s transactional approach to diplomacy is a driving force on the world stage   US orders nonemergency government staff to leave South Sudan as tension grows over fighting   Authorities: Armed man shot by Secret Service near White House while Trump out of town

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? Vote no, hope yes

The show of House party discipline in Mike Johnson vs. Hakeem Jeffries is on course to shatter in the Senate.

Why it matters: House Democrats can vote "no" and hope "yes" on a six-month spending package. Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats don't have that luxury.

• Speaker Johnson is convinced he has the Republican votes to pass a spending package on a party-line vote and avoid a government shutdown. (There's some late jitters. More below).
• Minority Leader Jeffries is just as confident he'll lose only a handful of Democratic votes.

They can both be right. The only firm GOP "no" is Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Jeffries and his team are whipping the vote, we reported earlier today.

• The most likely Democratic defections told us they're leaning toward voting against the bill, including Reps. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.).
• For Republicans, there was last-minute heartburn tonight at the GOP whip meeting. Multiple members said in the closed meeting that they're holdouts, Punchbowl reported.
• Other Republicans signaled they're open to talk: Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) told CNN he's a no, but not a hard no. He said he hasn't spoken to Trump as of tonight.

The bottom line: If Jeffries holds the line, he'll have found his footing. Last week ended with him confronting progressives who defied his guidance during President Trump's joint address to Congress.

• Jeffries first indicated on Friday that he might oppose a clean funding bill, a position that Democrats typically don't make.
• He doubled down Saturday by announcing his "no" vote, then demanded his lawmakers follow suit.

— Hans Nichols and Andrew Solender

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?Shutdown record books

Data: U.S. House of Representatives; Note: Shutdowns are attributed to the year in which they started; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals Go deeper

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Republicans advance a government funding bill despite Democratic opposition

House Republicans passed a critical test of their unity Tuesday on legislation to avoid a partial government shutdown, teeing up a final vote in the afternoon for a measure that keeps federal agencies funded through September. Read More.   ? The ultimate survivor Give House Speaker Mike Johnson credit: He's now two for two (with President Trump's help) on votes this year that looked headed off the rails. Why it matters: With a one-vote margin, Johnson is defying his doubters and increasing the odds he can hammer out the details of a massive tax and spending package this spring. He got the outline for "one big, beautiful bill" passed on Feb. 25. And he got a budget stopgap passed today. The hardest part is still to come. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) was the only GOP "no" on both votes. "They didn't even call me," Massie told reporters tonight after a massive MAGA pressure campaign against him. "The comments were put out there to keep other Republicans in line." Zoom in: Trump's help was critical each time in getting the rest of the Republicans to bend. Look no further than House Freedom Caucus chair Andy Harris (R-Md.), a habitual "no" vote on government funding, endorsing it at a press conference earlier today. "This is not your grandfather's continuing resolution," Harris said. As we foretold last night, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also held the line. He whipped "no" and got everyone but Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) to vote no. "This CR is not perfect, but a shutdown would be worse," Golden said after voting yes. What's next: House progressives are calling on the Senate to do what they didn't have the numbers to do: Kill the bill. "The Republican spending plan will supercharge Musk's theft from working people to pay for billionaire tax cuts. Senate Democrats must stop it," Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said on X. — Hans Nichols

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? Minor GOP revolt

A dozen House Republicans today helped their Democratic colleagues bypass Johnson and force a vote to allow House members to vote by proxy for up to three months after having children. "We won fair and square," declared Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), the Republican leader of the proxy voting revolt. Why it matters: This is the third time in a year Republicans have ignored Johnson by joining what are known as discharge petitions, which force votes if 218 members sign onto them. Back in 2020, Johnson helped lead a GOP lawsuit aimed at eliminating COVID-era proxy voting. Luna's bill with Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.) — who gave birth in late January and has had to miss most votes since — would allow up to 12 weeks of proxy voting for new parents of either gender. — Andrew Solender ? Trump's cantankerous Kentuckians Trump's top GOP detractors in Congress have something in common — they're from Kentucky. Massie: Trump has vowed to get personally involved in ousting Massie, who was the only House Republican to vote against the Trump-backed short-term spending bill. Sen. Rand Paul is expected to be the only Senate Republican to vote against the short-term spending package this week. Paul's relationship with Trumpworld has deteriorated over the years. Sen. Mitch McConnell: For the fourth time, McConnell voted against one of the president's nominees this week, opposing Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Labor secretary. Massie is fundraising off Trump's primary threat. "He's attacking me and Canada. The difference is Canada will eventually cave," Massie told reporters. Zoom in: Trump allies are carefully watching the race to replace McConnell when he retires next year. McConnell took aim today at the administration's handling of the war in Ukraine. "Freezing lethal assistance and intelligence support to Ukraine made Russia's job easier," he said in a Senate floor speech. "Daniel Cameron is literally Mitch's protégé," Donald Trump Jr. said of the former Kentucky attorney general in a podcast with Nate Morris, who is viewed as the outsider contender. "We can not replace Mitch McConnell in the US Senate with someone who is entirely controlled by Mitch McConnell," Trump Jr. posted on X. — Stef Kight ? Schiff goes viral Sen. Adam Schiff's (D-Calif.) "all-of-the-above" approach to social media is starting to pay off. Why it matters: Democrats are in the wilderness and admit they need a new media strategy. Schiff has embraced it all, from TikTok to YouTube, X and Bluesky. "We need to make sure people hear our message, and that we're not just talking to the same people over and over again," Schiff told us today. Schiff was the top-performing Democratic lawmaker on social media over the last month, according to data compiled by the Center for American Progress. Zoom in: Schiff is using segments with content creators and short videos across platforms as a sort of rapid response to the Trump administration. Schiff's video last night on Trump's tariff policies got 550,000 views on YouTube within 12 hours. A Schiff interview with the liberal MeidasTouch after Trump's speech to Congress last week has over 2.2 million views on YouTube. "I'm finding there is a real appetite for it," Schiff said. — Stephen Neukam

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Government funding

Senate Democrats are expected to discuss their next steps today after the House passed a stopgap bill Tuesday to fund the federal government through September 30. House Speaker Mike Johnson was able to overcome far-right opposition to President Trump’s plan, as the GOP scrambles to avert a government shutdown Friday at midnight. The 217-213 vote saw just one GOP defection, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, and now amplifies pressure on Senate Democrats to decide whether to back the measure – or trigger a spending showdown with Trump and risk a potential shutdown. At least eight Senate Democrats would need to vote with the GOP to accept the bill, which includes none of the concessions the party has been demanding to protect Congress’ spending powers in the Trump era.

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? Will Democrats sign DOGE’s blank check? Yesterday, House Republicans passed a spending bill to temporarily fund the government — and Trump’s agenda — through the year. As The American Prospect notes, the measure would give a congressional thumbs up to Trump’s power grab. Now it heads to the Senate, where Republicans have said they can push the measure through on their own. However, the GOP will need a few Democratic votes to clear the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster and avoid a shutdown Friday night. 

• ?️ Shutdown risk rises: Senate Democrats left a private meeting today willing to play hardball on a bill to fund the government — risking a shutdown to negotiate a better deal with Republicans. Go deeper.

? Schumer plays with fire

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has signaled his party is prepared to let the government shut down.

Why it matters: Even if it's a bargaining tactic, Schumer and Democrats have put Congress closer to an outcome he's repeatedly warned against.

• By this time tomorrow, Schumer and Senate GOP leader John Thune could cut a handshake deal to allow amendment votes and speed up the process.
• "Democrats had nothing to do with this bill. And we want an opportunity to get an amendment vote or two. So that's what we are insisting on to vote for cloture," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told reporters today.

⏰ Schumer wants a vote on a 30-day funding stopgap, he said today. It would fail, and House Republicans have already skipped town (but could return).

• But forcing an amendment vote on a 30-day CR could give Dems an off-ramp to say they tried to put President Trump on a shorter leash before ultimately voting to prevent a shutdown.
• "They haven't made that offer about that," Thune told reporters today. "But in the end, we want to fund the government. ... We just haven't heard from them yet."

? Zoom in: Schumer's other, riskier scenario has shutdown written all over it.

• If the two can't cut a deal, Thune can put the funding bill on the Senate floor and force Democrats to prove they're willing to let the government shut down.
• After their second agonizing, deadlocked lunch in two days, Democrats said today they can't deliver the votes to advance the funding bill.

Zoom out: Schumer spent weeks telling his caucus that advocating for a shutdown was bad politics for Democrats.

• But he has also insisted any legislation to keep the government open must be done in a bipartisan manner. The bill passed by the House yesterday was written exclusively by Republicans.
• Schumer is balancing his deep distaste for a shutdown against pressure from the grassroots to do more to stand up to Trump.

The bottom line: Republicans think Schumer is bluffing, and both leaders say they want to avoid a shutdown.

• "I saw that not everybody's been whipped and I know a lot of Democrats are nervous about it," Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said today.
• But Schumer's been in Congress long enough (since 1981!) to know it's dangerous to play with fire.

— Stephen Neukam and Stef Kight

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Johnson vs. "stubborn" Luna

Back in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to block a proxy voting campaign by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.).

Why it matters: Johnson is a longtime opponent of proxy voting, arguing it's unconstitutional and that allowing it for anyone will weaken the practice of in-person lawmaking.

• "I think that that would open a Pandora's box, and ultimately there'll be different categories of people who demand it," he told The Hill.
• "I've tried to discuss this with Anna, and she's pretty stubborn about it, so we'll see what happens," he told The Hill about Luna.

Luna's discharge petition would force a vote on a bill by Democratic Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), who had a son in January and had to fly back to D.C. last month to vote against the House's budget reconciliation bill.

• The bill would carve out a 12-week proxy voting exemption for new parents and members who are advised not to travel due to health concerns around pregnancy.

Go deeper

Budget battle

Ahead of a critical Senate vote on a temporary government funding bill, Democratic leaders face a paradoxical choice: Should they shut down the government to try to save it? That gamble could come with a significant downside, as shuttered agencies and thousands of furloughed federal workers could be left even more vulnerable to the metaphorical chainsaw wielded by Elon Musk. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats have the votes to block the House-passed GOP spending bill and called on Senate Republicans to cut a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has set up a key vote for Friday on the bill, though the vote could happen earlier if senators were to reach an agreement.

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Senate OKs sweeping autism bill as Capitol focuses on developmental disabilities

Sweeping autism legislation — a top priority for Senate President Ben Albritton — passed the Florida Senate Wednesday on the heels of Developmental Disabilities Day at the Florida Capitol.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/03/12/senate-oks-sweeping-autism-bill-as-capitol-focuss-on-developmental-disabilities/?

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? D.C. leaders and activists are pleading with Congress to avoid $1.1 billion in cuts from the city's budget, Axios D.C. reports. The spending bill now before the Senate treats the city as a federal agency and requires steep cuts, even though the money in question comes from local taxes.

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Getting Caught Trying

“We will win!” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer chanted at a rally last month protesting Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service infiltrating Treasury Department payments systems. If Democrats want to win, though, they’ll have to fight first, and they don’t seem totally ready for that.

Schumer says that his caucus will refuse to vote for a short-term funding bill that would prevent the government from shutting down at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. (In the House, all but one Democrat—Jared Golden of Maine—voted against the funding patch, but Republicans were unexpectedly united and passed the bill.) But no one seems to completely believe that Democrats will keep up their unified opposition. Politico reports that Democrats may instead settle for a symbolic vote on a shorter-term bill that they know they’ll lose: A White House official told the publication, “They’re 100 percent gonna swallow it. They’re totally screwed.”

Democratic leaders have been insisting that the nation is facing a serious crisis caused by President Donald Trump’s blitzkrieg demolition of the executive branch and rule of law. But they have also complained that they have few paths to stop Trump. “I’m trying to figure out what leverage we actually have,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said last month. “What leverage do we have?” Now Senate Democrats have leverage, and what they do with it will show whether they mean what they say.

This is a strange situation for Democrats: As the party that likes to keep government running, even entertaining the idea of a shutdown is novel. But they have reasons related to both policy and politics to take a hard line here. First, if they’re concerned with protecting government services that are essential for citizens, they need to find some way to slow Trump down, because he’s using his power to slash them already. If the government shuts down, some services will be briefly cut. If Democrats keep the government open, some services will be cut—perhaps permanently. The deadline gives them a chance to demand that the White House agree to limitations on DOGE or other Trump cuts in exchange for funding the government. (Complicating the calculus, the White House recently deleted guidance from its website on how a shutdown would work.)

Even if Congress passes the GOP’s short-term funding patch, there’s no guarantee that the administration will comply. Trump and his budget director, Russ Vought, have argued that the president should be able to impound funds—in other words, to treat congressional appropriations as a ceiling rather than a requirement, and thus be able to cut funding for whatever they don’t like. (This is plainly illegal, but Vought and others believe that the law that bans it is unconstitutional, and they hope to challenge it in the courts.) This means that simply continuing to fund the government doesn’t guarantee that key programs will stay running, and that extracting concessions from the White House now is crucial.

Cautious Democrats worry that the party will be blamed if the government closes. But blamed by whom? Republicans have taken the political hit for previous shutdowns, because the GOP has openly clamored for them. Maybe Democrats would take the hit if they refused to help Republicans, and maybe they wouldn’t; voters surely understand that Democrats are the party of government. But in standing up to Trump’s GOP, they’d be taking the side of most of the public. One new CNN poll found that 56 percent of voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy, the lowest mark of his career; another found that 55 percent believe that the cuts to federal programs, which Democrats want to stop, will hurt the economy.

Regardless of how independents and Republicans would react, the consequences of not putting up a fight now would be catastrophic for Democratic-voter morale. During Trump’s first two months in office, party leaders have seemed flat-footed and meek, subscribing to what I’ve called a “No We Can’t” strategy. Polling shows that approval of the party and its leaders among Democrats is awful, and the idea of a liberal Tea Party—furious about the Trump administration but nearly as disgusted with Democratic leaders—suddenly seems plausible.

Few Democrats envy the chaos and disorder of the post-2010 Republican Party, but they’ve also seen GOP leaders take risks while their own party avoids them. That’s gotten Republicans control of the White House, the House, and the Senate, while Democrats have little to show for their gingerly approach. If Democratic leaders abdicate the chance to take charge now, many in the voting rank and file may not give them another chance.

The biggest risk for Democrats is that they’ll try to take a hostage by shutting down the government and discover that they are the hostage: Trump continues to do whatever he wants, and they end up folding in a few days, having obtained no concessions. That’s how most shutdowns end. As a matter of policy, however, this wouldn’t change anything. As a matter of politics, Democrats would at least get caught trying.

And if Democrats do take a hit with voters as a whole, so what? If they keep their political standing but lose all of the substantive battles, they won’t have much use for that standing. The longtime Democratic strategist James Carville, last seen misjudging the 2024 election, now says his party should just get out of Trump’s way. “It’s time for Democrats to embark on the most daring political maneuver in the history of our party: roll over and play dead,” he wrote in The New York Times last month. “Allow the Republicans to crumble beneath their own weight and make the American people miss us.”

Carville might be right that this would be an effective electoral strategy; Trump seems determined to make unpopular cuts and tie himself ever closer to the ever-more-unpopular Elon Musk, and the more voters see of Trump, the less they tend to like him. But playing dead makes sense only if one’s opponent is making garden-variety bad policy moves. This is different: Democratic leaders have said that the nation faces a historic crisis prompted by unprecedented and unconstitutional actions from the president. Did they really mean it?

Related:

• The conversation Democrats need to have
• The Democrats’ “No We Can’t” strategy

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? Dems prepare to fold

Senate Democrats are prepared to vote tomorrow to keep the government open, with not much to show for it.

Why it matters: The outcome will spark the fury of many Democrats and the grassroots of the party, who have lobbied this week for the lawmakers to block the funding bill.

• But it tracks with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's longstanding advice to senators that it's bad politics to shut down the government.

Schumer privately told his colleagues today he plans to help break the filibuster on the GOP-led government funding bill, sources told us. The New York Times was first to report on his comments.

• "While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse," Schumer said tonight on the Senate floor.
• "I think people in my caucus are going to make their decisions and I am going to make mine," Schumer told reporters tonight.

❌ Most of Schumer's colleagues will vote against him.

• But Senate Democrats only need to provide eight votes to keep the government open.

Democrats are expected to get amendment votes on the bill, which will give the party members some cover in voting for the package.

• The GOP expects the Democratic votes it needs will come from senators up for tough 2026 races as well as those who are retiring, as we told you last week.

The other side: Their House colleagues aren't buying it. "Those games won't fool anyone. It won't trick voters, it won't trick House members. People will not forget it," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) wrote today on X about a 30-day CR amendment vote.

• "Senate Republicans should back down from screwing over their own constituents," said Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas). "Democrats were elected to fight for working people, not put up a fake fight."
• House Democrats were almost unanimous in opposition on Tuesday. Only Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) voted for the bill.

What's next: Schumer and Senate GOP leader John Thune will need a time agreement to speed up the vote.

The bottom line: Schumer ensured he'll be the main Democratic villain of this week's drama. But he'll spare his party the pain of a shutdown and the political consequences no one can predict.

— Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols

? GOP's purple-seat openings

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios House Republicans are salivating over their chances in purple seats thanks to ambitious Democrats eyeing newly open Senate slots. Why it matters: Swing-seat survivors are very attractive in statewide races, including to Schumer and the DSCC. But their (potential) loss in the House is a headache for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the DCCC. Zoom in: The current House map is tight, with fewer than two dozen true toss-ups. And the list of likely House Democratic exits is growing fast. New Hampshire: Reps. Chris Pappas and Maggie Goodlander are interested in retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's seat. Trump lost both of those districts narrowly in the 2024 election. Michigan: With former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg taking a pass this morning on the Michigan Senate race, Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, who just won a Trump district, may make a play for Senate. Ohio: Reps. Greg Landsman and Emilia Sykes are eyeing the race to take on the newly appointed GOP Sen. Jon Husted. The other side: Republicans face a similar dynamic with governor's races. New York: Rep. Mike Lawler, who represents a district won by Kamala Harris, is making moves to challenge Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Michigan: Rep. John James is being encouraged to jump into his state's gubernatorial contest. Arizona: Rep. Juan Ciscomani has ruled out a governor's race, but Democrats are hopeful he'll reconsider and put his purple district in play. What they're saying: "The math is in our favor," said NRCC Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.). "We will capitalize on this momentum on the battleground and retain and grow our Republican majority." "House Democrats' overperformance last cycle proves no one is better at recruiting and working to elect genuine and authentic candidates than the DCCC — and we'll do it again this cycle," said DCCC spokesperson Viet Shelton. — Hans Nichols and Andrew Solender

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Federal funding

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declared Thursday night that he would vote for Republicans’ stopgap spending bill, backing down in the Democrats' first big leverage point in President Donald Trump’s second term. That confirmed a dire political reality for his caucus: Democrats had no good options left to avert a government shutdown ahead of today's midnight deadline. Veteran Democrats privately believed Schumer’s decision was inevitable. Others were ready for him to lead them into their first big battle against Trump — and instead have been left fuming. Top Democrats in Congress struggled to find a cohesive message and strategy that would allow them room to fight without the potential risk of what it would mean if thousands of government workers were suddenly thrust into more uncertainty with a shutdown.

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Senate works to avert partial government shutdown ahead of midnight deadline The Senate finds itself on Friday in a familiar position, working to avoid a partial government shutdown with just hours to spare as Democrats confront two painful options: allowing passage of a bill they believe gives President Donald Trump vast discretion on spending decisions or voting no and allowing funding for the government to lapse. Read more.

Why this matters: Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer gave members of his caucus days to vent their frustration about the options before them, but late Thursday made clear he will not allow a government shutdown. A procedural vote Friday will provide a first test of whether the package has the 60 votes needed to advance, ahead of final voting likely later in the day. At least eight Democrats will need to join with Republicans to move the funding package forward.   The legislation would fund the federal government through the end of September. It would trim non-defense spending by about $13 billion from the previous year and increase defense spending by about $6 billion, which are marginal changes when talking about a topline spending level of nearly $1.7 trillion.

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