Congress: The Senate & The House

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Homeland Security shutdown seems certain as funding talks between White House and Democrats stall

WASHINGTON (AP) — A shutdown for the Department of Homeland Security appeared certain Thursday as lawmakers in the House and Senate were set to leave Washington for a 10-day break and negotiations with the White House over Democrats’ demands for new restrictions had stalled.

https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-funding-shutdown-democrats-trump-4e9c4cebd45396e77f8333fd6cc31944?

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🕵️‍♀️ "Spygate" sparks outrage

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Speaker Mike Johnson are in rare alignment in their disapproval of the Justice Department cataloging the search history of lawmakers who have gone to review the unredacted Epstein files.

Why it matters: It's a fresh and high-octane scandal for Attorney General Pam Bondi at a time when she is already facing bipartisan heat over her handling of the DOJ files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

• "There is no bottom for the Trump administration," Jeffries said today at a press conference.
• The Democratic leader called the DOJ practice "a disgrace" that violates "the principles of separate and coequal branches of government."
• ⚡️ Johnson said it wasn't "appropriate" for anyone to be tracking what members of Congress are searching — though he speculated that it may have been "an oversight."

That was before a DOJ spokesperson told Axios that, as part of the congressional review of unredacted Epstein files, "DOJ logs all searches made on its systems to protect against the release of victim information."

Catch up quick: Bondi was photographed at a testy House Judiciary Committee hearing yesterday with notes that showed a "search history" for Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) referencing specific Epstein files.

• Jayapal was among several Judiciary members who went this week to view the unredacted files.
• 📔 Bondi appeared to have rejoinders teed up for specific Judiciary members, with ranking member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) accusing her of having a "burn book" on Democrats.

👀 What we're watching: Democrats told us they're eyeing an array of responses, including legal action, a congressionally-led probe into the matter, a letter demanding DOJ change its policy and a request for a DOJ inspector general inquiry.

• Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) told us she spoke to Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), who is "interested in having leadership involved."
• And even some Republicans are up in arms. "They're tagging the documents that members of Congress search for and open and review," Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) told reporters. "I didn't like it."

— Andrew Solender and Kate Santaliz

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😎 Congress' "no-pressure" shutdown

🛝 Congress is sliding toward a "no-pressure" shutdown, with both parties content to claim political wins as a department backfilled with billions of dollars experiences a funding lapse.

Why it matters: The lack of urgency to try to prevent the Department of Homeland Security shutdown at day's end tomorrow underscores how routine funding interruptions have become.

• It also reveals the lowered political stakes both sides see in allowing the latest one to take hold.
• Lawmakers left Washington today for international trips and a weeklong recess, despite circumstances that in a previous era would have precluded them from taking a break without fear of political consequences.

Now, each side sees an upside to letting DHS shut down.

• For Democrats, refusing to vote for DHS funding without significant GOP concessions on ICE reforms plays well to a base that is demanding its party to do more to oppose President Trump (especially with polling showing even independents have soured on ICE's tactics).
• And Republicans have the comfort of knowing ICE and CBP are funded because the GOP gave the agencies $75 billion through the massive reconciliation package last year.

🚘 Driving the news: Before lawmakers skipped town today (with many headed to the Munich Security Conference in Germany), the sides were not anywhere close to a deal.

• Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's Democrats rejected multiple attempts from GOP leaders today to pass a short-term DHS funding measure. Before that, Democrats spent the morning meeting about the Trump administration's attempted indictments of multiple Democratic lawmakers, not government funding.
• 🔎 Senate Democrats also reviewed the legislative text of a counteroffer from the White House on ICE reforms, sources told us. The proposal was panned as insufficient.
• Congress isn't expected back in Washington until the week of Feb 23. The shutdown would be 10 days old by then.

Reality check: There are still pressure points pushing Schumer and Majority Leader John Thune toward a deal.

• The DHS shutdown may impact airport travel, disaster response and cyber monitoring starting as soon as tomorrow, Axios' Herb Scribner writes.
• And as lawmakers found out during the record-breaking government shutdown last year, the longer a shutdown drags on, the more it affects essential government services — and the shorter the public's patience can become.

— Stephen Neukam

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🔥 Fiery Jeffries exchange

Jeffries pushed back hard today when we questioned him about potential protests by his members at the Feb. 24 State of the Union.

Why it matters: He basically flamed one of his own Democrats in the process.

• Asked about Rep. Shri Thanedar saying he would "love to show some resistance" during the speech, Jeffries said he "hasn't had a conversation" with the Michigan Democrat.
• "You often quote him as a source as it relates to what may or may not happen on the House floor, and then it never materializes," he told us, likely referring to a forced impeachment vote that Thanedar pulled at the eleventh hour.

The bottom line: Jeffries signaled he isn't worried about disruptions.

• "I think our perspective is just, we have them on the run, let's stay on offense and conduct ourselves accordingly," he said.
• Jeffries has privately instructed his members to either attend the Feb. 24 speech with "silent defiance" or boycott it.

Watch the back and forth here.

— Andrew Solender

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🗽 Trump, Schumer rely on New York vibe

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is one of the few Democrats in Washington who can work with President Trump, leaning on their New York ties and a long-ago alliance, Axios's Stephen Neukam and Marc Caputo write.

• 📞 Despite deep mistrust between the two and their aides, Schumer and Trump have each other's numbers literally and figuratively. They've been known to talk on the phone like the longtime acquaintances they are.

The big picture: The relationship between Trump and Schumer will be a critical factor in whether they can end the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown that begins tonight at midnight.

• Advisers for both men freely acknowledge they're more likely to appear like political rivals in public than behind closed doors.

The two "don't always get along but they have camaraderie behind the scenes," said a senior adviser to the president. "Trump can get along with anyone, but he'll also rip your head off at the same time," the adviser said.

• "It's complicated," a second Trump adviser told Axios. "There are periods of frostiness, and there are periods of working together well."

Schumer told Axios: "We're both from New York and Trump knows I'm gonna put up a fight."

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US House approves bill mandating proof of citizenship for voting in federal elections

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House passed legislation Wednesday that would require the public to produce a passport or birth certificate in most cases to register to vote, less than a year out from November midterm elections.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/02/12/repub/us-house-approves-bill-mandating-proof-of-citizenship-for-voting-in-federal-elections/?

US House in bipartisan vote defies Trump, agrees to end his tariffs on Canada

WASHINGTON — In a notable break from President Donald Trump’s signature trade policy, several House Republicans joined Democrats in passing a resolution to terminate the president’s national emergency at the northern border that triggered tariffs on Canada just over one year ago.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/02/12/repub/us-house-in-bipartisan-vote-defies-trump-agrees-to-end-his-tariffs-on-canada/?

Democrats defend ‘the actual existence of the Department of Education’ in forum

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Democrats on Wednesday rebuked ongoing efforts from President Donald Trump’s administration to dismantle the Department of Education, including moves to shift some of its core functions to other agencies. 

https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/02/12/repub/democrats-defend-the-actual-existence-of-the-department-of-education-in-forum/?

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😈 Johnson's rule breakers

House Republicans who reliably vote "yes" tell us they're fed up with watching the same small group of colleagues repeatedly threaten rule votes — and some want payback.

Why it matters: Under Speaker Mike Johnson's one-vote majority, every Republican wields outsize power. How a few are regularly using that power to buck leadership is fueling open resentment inside the GOP conference.

• 🥊 Near-weekly brinkmanship over rules — once a rubber stamp for the majority party — leaves the loyal foot soldiers feeling overlooked, while the rebels wield disproportionate leverage, several Republicans told us.
• "It's like these guys never played team sports before," Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) told Axios, adding that the hostage-taking makes the vast majority of his colleagues "very angry."
• "It's a horrible way of going about our business," Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) told Axios. "We've got more important things to be doing than wasting time on petty, individual problems."

Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) summed the problem up this way: "The people who do that are perpetually unhappy, and ... the good, loyal Republicans feel like they're being taken for granted."

🚘 Driving the news: Bacon told Axios that repeat offenders should have their committee assignments stripped, adding: "There should be a day of reckoning at some point."

• "The rest of the conference is not happy about it," Rep. Carlos Giménez (R-Fla.) told Axios. "A lot of us say, 'Well, if that's the way the game is played, why don't we play it that way?' But it's just not us. It's not who we are."

But several members acknowledged that punishment could further fracture the majority: "If you do that with a one-vote majority, you're not going to pass a thing," Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) told Axios.

• Case in point: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)
• "What's my incentive to vote for anything?" Massie, who Trump is targeting for ouster for consistently voting "no," told us recently.

🔥 The other side: "Bring it on. I'll take it. I'll bust their ass every dadgum time," Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told us when asked about his colleagues' calls for punishment.

• Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.), a notorious rule vote flip-flopper, dismissed threats of punishment: "They can't do that to me," she said, noting she's already voluntarily resigned her committee assignments.

The bottom line: It may be impossible to put the genie back in the bottle this Congress, even if Republicans' majority increases by a couple of seats.

• "It's been established as a tool for people to use as leverage," Joyce said. "It's going to be tough to start functioning as a team again." 

— Kate Santaliz

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🤕 Mini-shutdown pain points

The Department of Homeland Security's headquarters in Washington. Photo: Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Congress is on a glide path toward a potentially weeks-long DHS shutdown, with the first real pain point — reduced paychecks — 18 days away. Why it matters: Lawmakers often need a forcing mechanism to act. 💰 The first affected paychecks for TSA, FEMA and Coast Guard employees are set to hit March 3 — at roughly 50% pay, covering half a pay period. The first full paychecks that could be missed are scheduled for March 17. Between the lines: DHS employees will still be paid Feb. 17 for the pay period that ended Feb. 7. Some agencies, including ICE and CBP, have enough funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill to keep paying employees even if the shutdown drags on. 🎧 What we're hearing: Talks between the White House and Senate Democrats continue, with Democrats weighing amendments to Trump's counterproposal. But a deal will be hard to close with senators out of town. They're not scheduled back until Monday, Feb. 23. — Hans Nichols and Brittany Gibson

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Four men in unredacted files named by Ro Khanna have no ties to Epstein

Ro Khanna, a California Democratic representative, read a list of six names on the House floor earlier this week and said they were “wealthy, powerful men that the DoJ hid” in the recently released files related to Jeffrey Epstein. After questions from the Guardian, the Department of Justice said that four of the men Khanna named have no apparent connection to Epstein whatsoever, but rather appeared in a photo lineup assembled by the southern district of New York (SDNY).

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/four-men-unredacted-epstein-files-no-ties-ro-khanna

US homeland security department partially shut down after lawmakers fail to agree funding

The Department of Homeland Security has begun a partial shutdown, after funding for the much-criticized agency expired, with a range of services, including domestic flights and the US Coastguard, now vulnerable to disruption.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/us-homeland-security-department-shutdown?

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🏛️ A proposed constitutional amendment giving Congress the power to block presidential pardons has gained its first House Republican cosponsor, Axios' Andrew Solender reports. Go deeper.

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🤬 Censure roars back

Sound familiar? House Speaker Mike Johnson is about to deal with his sixth House censure war in less than a year, by our tracking.

Why it matters: House lawmakers openly say censure is out of control, and one of them even proposed raising the threshold for it, as we scooped last year.

• But now House Democrats are discussing a forced vote to censure Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) if Johnson doesn't take action, we have learned. (See item No. 2).

Driving the news: Fine's recent comments on social media — saying "the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one" — have drawn intense backlash from colleagues, including Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.).

• "I usually hate censure resolutions against members, but I've never seen someone deserve one more," Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said of Fine in a post on X.
• The earliest a censure vote could happen is when the House returns from its recess next week.

Zoom out: Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) was formally censured after his outbursts at President Trump's 2025 speech to a joint session of Congress, and Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) received a censure-esque reprimand in November.

• The list of failed pushes is much longer: Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.) narrowly dodged a censure vote, Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) relied on GOP help to stop censure efforts against them and Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) has faced at least three threats of censure.

The bottom line: It's not clear whether Democratic leadership would support the effort against Fine, though House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries forcefully condemned him as a "disgrace" in a statement today.

• "Republican leaders must hold this so-called Member of Congress accountable," Jeffries said. "House Democrats will not let the racist and bigoted behavior of Randy Fine go unchecked."
• He added: "Accountability is coming to all of these sick extremists when the gavels change hands in November, if not sooner."

— Andrew Solender and Kate Santaliz

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💪 Scoop: Dems eye forced vote

Two Congressional Progressive Caucus members told us the group is privately discussing whether to force a censure vote on Fine.

• "I have raised with CPC leadership that Fine must be censured," Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) told us in a text message today.
• "We cannot stand idly by as Muslim Americans are described as less than dogs by a sitting member. Many of my colleagues feel similarly."

Zoom in: Fine, who has positioned himself as one of Congress' most vocally anti-Muslim members, said yesterday in a post on X, "If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one."

• He said he was referencing a post from a pro-Palestinian activist that said, "Finally, NYC is coming to Islam. Dogs definitely have a place in society, just not as indoor pets. Like we've said all along, they are unclean."
• Fine has since doubled down on his post, saying in one interview: "Not only are we supposed to let all these people in, we're supposed to smile and submit while they redefine what it means to be in America."

Several Democrats publicly called for Fine to be censured in posts on social media, though none specifically said they plan to introduce a resolution or force a vote.

• Others said the onus falls on Johnson, urging the speaker to rebuke Fine and remove him from his committees.
• Spokespeople for Fine and Johnson did not respond to requests for comment on this story.

The bottom line: Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), a swing-district moderate, told us a censure vote is what Fine "wants."

• "Ricky, or whatever his name is, just wants the attention. He says obscene, hateful things for attention," Landsman said, adding that "unfortunately, Congress has a few attention-seekers."

— Andrew Solender

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Billionaire Les Wexner says he was ‘duped’ by adviser Jeffrey Epstein, ‘a world-class con man’

The billionaire behind the retail empire that once blanketed shopping malls with names such as Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch is telling members of Congress that he was “duped by a world-class con man” — close financial adviser Jeffrey Epstein. Les Wexner also is denying knowing about the convicted sex offender’s crimes or participating in Epstein’s abuse of girls and young women. Read more.

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😤 Rare Jeffries pressure

Jeffries went public today with his pressure campaign urging Democratic state legislators to vote on a new congressional map.

• Why it matters: Jeffries doesn't usually put himself in such public conflict with fellow Democrats, but he'll need every advantage he can get in his quest to become speaker in 2027.

🦀 Driving the news: Jeffries met today with Maryland state Senate President Bill Ferguson in Annapolis to discuss a proposed map that would draw out Rep. Andy Harris, the state's last remaining House Republican.

• Ferguson has resisted calls from Jeffries and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) to let state senators vote on the map, which was approved this month by the state's House of Delegates.
• Following the meeting, Jeffries said in a statement that Ferguson "authentically believes that the votes don't exist in the State Senate to move forward."
• "The only way to find out is to allow an immediate up-or-down vote on the Senate floor with respect to the new congressional map passed by the House of Delegates," he added.

The other side: "It's precisely because we want Leader Jeffries in the majority that most members in the Maryland Senate Democratic Caucus do not support moving forward with mid-cycle redistricting," Ferguson said in a statement.

• The state Senate president warned that the proposal will "backfire in our State courts and lose Democrats in Congress."

✍️ The bottom line: Jeffries was successful in pressing Democratic legislators to draw new maps in California and Virginia that could collectively net Democrats as many as nine seats.

• But he has faced resistance elsewhere, with Democrats in New York and Illinois declining to attempt mid-decade redraws — though a New York judge's ruling may still help Democrats pick up one seat.

— Andrew Solender

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🎲 Congress' gamble on Iran

Barring a surprise, Congress and its elected leaders are on track to give President Trump the equivalent of a green light ahead of a potential major war in the Middle East.

Why it matters: War Powers Act resolutions, including one that Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) intends to force next week, are meant to restrain the president.

• 🔮 But House Democrats appear short of the Republican support they would need to pass a symbolic resolution against Trump.
• An early defeat of one in either chamber could make it easier for Trump to let slip the dogs of war.

The big picture: A U.S. campaign against Iran could drag out for weeks, sources have told Axios' Barak Ravid.

• 🧨 "I think there is 90% chance we see kinetic action in the next few weeks," one Trump adviser told Axios.
• The U.S. has deployed a massive buildup in the region: two aircraft carriers and hundreds of fighter jets are on hand.

Zoom in: Besides Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), no House Republicans have said they plan to support a war powers vote on Iran.

• 👎 Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who supported the last war powers effort on Venezuela, told us he plans to vote against this one.
• "Republicans are afraid of the president," Massie told us.

Between the lines: House Speaker Mike Johnson can only afford to lose two of his members if he wants to defeat the War Powers vote, assuming full attendance.

• Johnson held last month's vote open for roughly 30 minutes as members waited for Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) — running for Senate in his home state — to arrive from Dulles International Airport to cast the deciding vote.
• Hunt's office declined to comment on whether he'd show up to vote next week. If Massie and Khanna wait until Tuesday to call up their resolution, the vote could slip to March 3 — the day of the Texas primaries.

The other side: In the Senate, there doesn't appear to be much movement to vote on a war powers resolution before missiles are actually flying.

• Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced a WPA resolution on Jan. 29.

What we're watching: Trump is considering ordering limited strikes to force Iran to the negotiating table, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• Such an incremental approach might convince Kaine and Paul to demand a vote on their resolution, forcing the Senate to go on the record in the early stages of a conflict.

— Hans Nichols and Kate Santaliz

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Dems push to revert to earlier immigration policy to rein in Trump’s crackdown

WASHINGTON — As they seek to curb President Donald Trump’s aggressive approach to immigration enforcement, congressional Democrats are looking to formalize some guidelines previous administrations used.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/02/19/repub/dems-push-to-revert-to-earlier-immigration-policy-to-rein-in-trumps-crackdown/?

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Tariffs trap GOP leaders

Rank-and-file Republicans are demanding Congress codify Trump's tariffs after the Supreme Court struck them down today.

Why it matters: Congressional votes on tariffs will no longer be symbolic.

• House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune will be forced to squarely confront a deep divide in their party over tariffs.
• They'll be choosing between protecting vulnerable incumbents — and their own narrow majorities — or standing with a president whose help they'll need in the midterms.

⏩ Johnson was the first Republican leader to hit send on a statement, but he was much more effusive on the effectiveness of tariffs than on his desire to instate them.

• "No one can deny that the President's use of tariffs has brought in billions of dollars and created immense leverage for America's trade strategy," Johnson posted. He said Congress and the administration will find "the best path forward in the coming weeks."
• Thune acknowledged that tariffs worked in a post on X, without saying if he supported returning the power to impose them to Trump.

💲 The president announced today he'll impose a 10% global tariff under Section 122, which requires congressional approval for any time period beyond 150 days.

🙈 The intrigue: For most of Trump's presidency, Johnson has kept his party's divide on tariffs largely hidden with a procedural trick.

• But his rules committee's ban on tariff disapproval resolutions cracked this month when a small group of Republicans revolted against leadership's effort to keep it in place.
• Half a dozen Republicans voted with Democrats this month to repeal tariffs on Canada, and House Democrats prepared several resolutions to challenge other tariffs.

Driving the news: Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) was quick to call today for a second reconciliation package to restore Trump's tariff power.

• Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) echoed calls for Congress to lock in Trump's trade agenda, posting that "only Congress can ensure that these agreements provide lasting stability beyond any single administration."

😁 But a handful of congressional Republicans publicly welcomed the court's decision. A reconciliation package would face an uphill battle, especially in the House, where the margins are tighter.

• Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who voted to overturn Trump's tariffs on Canada, said he feels "vindicated" by the court's ruling.
• Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who led resolutions in the Senate to repeal Trump's tariffs, posted: "The Supreme Court makes plain what should have been obvious: The power to impose tariffs is very clearly a branch of the power to tax."

The bottom line: Democrats framed the ruling as a rebuke of executive overreach and a win for consumers.

• "He tried to govern by decree and stuck families with the bill. Enough chaos. End the trade war," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer posted on X.
• It's "another crushing defeat for the wannabe King," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted.

— Hans Nichols and Kate Santaliz

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‼️ First Dem to oppose Iran war powers vote

Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) will oppose a War Powers Act resolution aimed at restraining Trump on Iran.

Why it matters: This is further evidence that Democrats are unlikely to present a united front against any potential Trump action on Iran, unlike during the vote rebuking his Venezuela move.

• Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is already pessimistic he'll convince other Republicans to join him, we reported yesterday.

What they are saying: "We oppose the Massie-Khanna War Powers Resolution to prohibit the use of force against Iran," the two lawmakers said in a statement we first obtained.

• They said it "would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks signaling weakness at a dangerous moment."

The bottom line: Both Gottheimer and Lawler supported the joint U.S. and Israel strikes against Iran's nuclear program in June. They have since both voiced support for protesters — and appeared together on CNN to make their position clear.

— Hans Nichols

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🤖 AI drives populism in 2026, 2028

Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios

AI is emerging as a kitchen-table issue like paychecks, power bills and the future of the economy, Axios' Maria Curi reports. Several Democrats are channeling Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and his long-running critiques of concentrated tech power, now applied to AI. Some Republicans are adopting their own version, focusing on workforce disruption, energy costs and anger over tech companies. ⚡ Over the weekend, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called for "a new social contract" to respond to AI's rise while in New Hampshire campaigning for Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.). Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) laid out seven principles for new tech while appearing at Stanford University with Sanders, calling for "real protections against mass displacement." Go deeper.

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💪 Schatz's shutdown confidence

Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) told Democratic lobbyists and donors that his GOP colleagues underestimate his party's resolve to reform ICE — and that Democrats are united in demanding big changes, we have learned.

Why it matters: Schatz's private and unguarded comments are another indication that the Department of Homeland Security shutdown could be prolonged.

• Democrats — including centrists who are sometimes quick to compromise — are united in demanding substantive changes to the agency, Schatz told guests, according to multiple people familiar with his comments. A breakthrough on DHS funding is not imminent, he said.
• Republicans, Schatz said, are living in their own information silo and don't fully appreciate the public's outrage over the killing of two unarmed Americans at ICE protests in Minnesota.

🔎 Zoom in: Some 130 donors flocked to Schatz's annual fundraising weekend at The Kahala Hotel & Resort in Honolulu to get to know the party's presumptive No. 2 in the Senate next year.

• His event, which bookends a week of destination fundraisers in Hawaii that starts with an event held by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), typically draws around three dozen donors.
• 🤝 But the strong turnout this year reflected lobbyists' desire to improve their relationship with Schatz and growing Democratic optimism that a Senate majority is within reach in November.
• With Schatz all but guaranteed to be the next Senate Democratic whip, he's on the short list of lawmakers who could at some point succeed Chuck Schumer as Democratic leader.

Zoom out: DHS has been shut down for 10 days, and negotiations between the White House and Senate Democrats have yielded no tangible progress over the Presidents Day recess.

— Hans Nichols and Stephen Neukam

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📢 Gonzales resignation calls

Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) is facing mounting blowback from fellow House Republicans — including calls for his resignation — following allegations he had an affair with a former staffer before she died by suicide.

• Gonzales has denied having the affair.

Why it matters: The backlash from conservative lawmakers could create headaches for Johnson and Trump, who have continued to back Gonzales ahead of a competitive primary next week.

• Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) this afternoon became the first congressional Republican to call on Gonzales to resign.
• Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), a House Freedom Caucus member, followed suit, posting, "America deserves better. Tony should drop out of the race."
• Reps. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) soon followed, with Burchett telling us: "He needs to go."

Catch up quick: Gonzales is facing opponent Brandon Herrera in the March 3 primary.

• Herrera narrowly lost to Gonzales by roughly 400 votes in a 2024 runoff, and recent polling shows him leading Gonzales.

Johnson said today the allegations against Gonzales are "very serious" but argued lawmakers should allow the investigative process to play out.

The big picture: The San Antonio Express-News reported last week that Gonzales' former regional director, Regina Santos-Aviles, sent a text message that appears to show Santos-Aviles telling another Gonzales aide she "had [an] affair with our boss."

• Santos-Aviles died last year after setting herself on fire outside her Uvalde home.
• We obtained copies of text messages today between Gonzales and Santos-Aviles from her husband, Adrian Aviles, who shared them in a message with his attorney copied. In a message from May 2024, Gonzales asked Santos-Aviles for a "sexy pic." The texts were first reported by 24Sight News.

In a statement to NBC News last week, Gonzales said, "I am not going to engage in these personal smears and instead will remain focused on helping President Trump secure the border and improve the lives of all Texans."

• His office declined to comment on the alleged text exchanges or on the calls for his resignation.

— Kate Santaliz

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Republicans wait for orders

Trump is signaling that tax cuts will be the centerpiece of his State of the Union address tonight — and the cornerstone of his legislative agenda for the rest of the year.

Why it matters: In theory, House Republicans are enthusiastic about another round of tax cuts in a potential second reconciliation package.

• 🔎 In practice, many of them want to see the specifics of Trump's tax-cut proposals before fully endorsing them.
• And looming over any discussion of tax cuts is Trump's commitment to tariffs.
• ❤️ Trump loves tax cuts and tariffs equally. Congressional Republicans, meanwhile, have a clear favorite child. (Hint: It's not tariffs.)

💬 What they're saying: "We always want to do things on tax cuts. We're Republicans," Speaker Mike Johnson told us today. "We've done a lot already, but if there's more to do, we'll find the path to get it done."

• Earlier in the day, Johnson was less enthusiastic about his party's ability to codify Trump's tariffs into law after the Supreme Court ruled last week that he lacked the authority to impose them as he had.
• "We're sorting out the fallout from that — what it means for us," Johnson said.

Zoom out: By focusing on tax cuts, Trump is trying to combine two slightly contradictory messages into a single speech: The economy has never been in better shape, he's expected to say. But more relief is on the way.

• Poll after poll gives Trump poor marks for his handling of the economy, a subject on which he held a clear advantage heading into the 2024 election. A recent CNN survey put Trump's overall approval rating at a mere 36%, far lower than what it was during his speech to Congress a year ago.
• In some ways, Trump faces the same problem that bedeviled his predecessor: voter frustration over rising prices.
• While inflation has slowed since the summer of 2022, prices remain elevated, and consumers remain frustrated, worrying some Republicans who want a greater focus on affordability.

Zoom in: Ahead of the speech, Republicans were adopting a wait-and-see approach to Trump's proposals.

• "I'd like to hear what he's got to say and then, you know, we'll see what happens after that," said Rep. Carlos Giménez (R-Fla.).
• "I'm supportive of lowering income taxes if you're going to have tariffs alongside them," Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said. "We need to see how the math works out."

The bottom line: GOP leaders want Trump to focus on his wins and remind voters of his first-year accomplishments.

— Hans Nichols and Kate Santaliz

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🎲 Schumer's Alaska play

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is placing an early and aggressive bet on Alaska: a $1 million investment to build out the party's on-the-ground infrastructure, we've learned.

Why it matters: The money is clear evidence that Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is convinced his path to the majority runs through Alaska —and that his plans are broader than just flooding the airwaves with TV ads.

• Schumer worked to convince former Rep. Mary Peltola to run for Senate rather than governor. His outside political organization spent $1.3 million in soft money to let her know the waters were warm if she jumped in.
• 💰 Now Schumer's official party apparatus is spending hard dollars to find and persuade a majority of the state's 600,000 voters to support Peltola over two-term GOP incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan.

Between the lines: The party's first major investment in Alaska confronts the challenge of winning in an incredibly rural state, with voters scattered across enormous distances.

• 🗳️ The DSCC's $1 million outlay will go toward a field program focused on building relationships with youth and Native voters, a source familiar with the plans told us. The money is also going toward "hyper-local" organizing and outreach.

🚨Reality check: Democrats haven't come close to recapturing the Alaska Senate seat since losing it in 2014 to Sullivan, who cruised to reelection in 2020.

• But Schumer is betting he can win again in Alaska. As DSCC chair, he flipped the state for Democrats in 2008, when Mark Begich became the first Democrat to represent Alaska in the Senate since 1980.

— Stephen Neukam and Hans Nichols

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📢 Epstein victims spotlighted

At least two House Republicans who have been at the forefront of transparency efforts around the Jeffrey Epstein files are planning to display their support for the late convicted sex offender's victims during Trump's speech tonight, we've learned.

Why it matters: Trump isn't expected to mention Epstein during the address, but Democrats and a couple of Republicans are trying to ensure the issue looms large tonight.

• Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who have formed an unlikely partnership regarding the Epstein issue, plan to sit together on the Democratic side of the center aisle, a source familiar with their plans told Axios.
• The source told us the rare show of bipartisan unity will be explicitly "to emphasize the need for justice for the Epstein class."
• Members often sit along the center aisle of the House chamber during State of the Union addresses to be captured on camera as the president enters and leaves.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) told us she plans to wear a butterfly pin that belonged to the late Virginia Giuffre, which Giuffre's brother gave her yesterday.

• Giuffre, who died by suicide last year, was one of Epstein's most prominent accusers.

— Andrew Solender

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😬 Johnson's censure schism

Rep. Al Green's (D-Texas) latest protest during Trump's State of the Union has triggered a fresh Republican push to censure him. But not every Republican thinks it's worth the fight.

Why it matters: GOP leaders and some rank-and-file members aren't sold on censuring Green, arguing the once-rare punishment has become too routine.

• A vote to censure Green could reopen a tit-for-tat cycle that lawmakers in both parties have said is diminishing the punishment's weight.

Driving the news: Rep. Michael Rulli (R-Ohio) said Tuesday night he's introducing a resolution to censure Green, whom he called "a disgrace to the United States Congress."

• But House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters he's not sure censure is "going to be appropriate."
• 🎥 "I think the punishment is the video that lives on forever of [the Democrats] acting as they did."

Catch up quick: As Trump entered the chamber Tuesday, Green held up a sign reading "BLACK PEOPLE AREN'T APES!" and remained standing as Trump began his speech. The demonstration resulted in Green getting escorted out of the chamber.

• It marked the second consecutive year that Green has been ejected from a Trump speech to Congress.
• Republicans moved to censure Green over last year's episode, and the measure passed with bipartisan support.

💬 What they're saying: "I get frustrated," Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) told Axios. "Everybody calls on everybody to be censured."

• "That's the good thing about two-year terms. If the people back home don't like it, they can get rid of you real quick."
• Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) questioned why his Republican colleagues would opt to give Green more attention, adding, "He won't be here in 10 months; his district is now an R+5."
• 🗳️ Polls show Green trailing his opponent — progressive Rep. Christian Menefee — ahead of Tuesday's primary. The two Democratic House members are facing off because of the state's mid-decade redistricting.

Flashback: Censure fatigue has been building.

• After a flurry of resolutions last fall, Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) introduced legislation to raise the threshold for passage.
• "We don't want this to become commonplace," Johnson told us at the time, adding that censure "should be an extreme measure for extreme cases." 

— Kate Santaliz