Top Democrats emerged from a classified Capitol Hill briefing Wednesday expressing confidence in the intelligence behind recent U.S. strikes on suspected narco-trafficking vessels near Venezuela. But they also faulted the Biden administration for what they called a failure to confront Nicolás Maduro after Venezuela’s disputed 2024 election. The Office of Legal Counsel presented lawmakers with

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday sharply diverged from the direction that Senate negotiations were headed in to end the government shutdown. Johnson told reporters Thursday that he would not commit to holding a vote on extending COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of this year without congressional

Any optimism either side of the aisle had that the government shutdown could end this week appeared to fade on Capitol Hill, as Senate Democrats appear ready to hold out longer for a deal on expiring Obamacare subsidies. Senate Democrats left another long closed-door caucus lunch on Thursday, signaling a unified front as the shutdown

A new bipartisan bill introduced by Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., would bar minors (under 18) from interacting with certain AI chatbots. It taps into growing alarm about children using ‘AI companions’ and the risks these systems may pose. Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight

House GOP leaders’ daily government shutdown press conference briefly descended into chaos on Wednesday when a Democratic lawmaker interrupted the event. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., a moderate Democrat, shared a heated exchange with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., after crashing his remarks outside the U.S. Capitol while demanding he meet with her caucus to end the

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday morning that the ongoing government shutdown was partly to blame for Republican losses on Election Day. Trump told reporters during a breakfast with GOP lawmakers at the White House that election night on Tuesday ‘was not expected to be a victory,’ saying the 36-day government shutdown was one of

Senate Democrats are riding high after a wave of victories on Election Day and view Democratic candidates’ performances as an indicator that their shutdown strategy is working. As the government shutdown officially entered record-breaking territory in its 36th day, Senate Democrats felt emboldened by the election results, and saw the blowout wins across the country

Vice President JD Vance said that Republicans need to direct their focus to the ‘home front’ and work to make life more affordable for Americans, following the GOP losses in several key elections Tuesday. Republicans’ ability to do so will be a key factor in how Americans show up and vote in the 2026 midterm

Democrat Abigail Spanberger defeated Republican Winsome Earle-Sears to win the Virginia governor’s race, tallying significant leads among reliable Democratic groups while capitalizing on economic worries and the deep unpopularity of President Donald Trump in the state. Spanberger will be the first woman to hold the office in the Old Dominion State. The former Virginia congresswoman

A House Democrat representing a district that President Donald Trump won in 2024 is not seeking re-election next year. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, announced his plans in an op-ed for the Bangor Daily News on Wednesday, a day after Democrats’ sweeping electoral victories in Virginia, New Jersey, California and New York City. ‘I have never