Senator Ted Cruz said that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will likely cause a government shutdown at the end of September, just weeks before the 2024 midterm elections. Cruz based his prediction on Schumer’s actions during the previous election year.
Key Facts
The current government funding expires on September 30, 2024.
Senator Ted Cruz represents Texas and is a Republican.
Chuck Schumer is the Senate Minority Leader and a Democrat from New York.
Cruz believes Schumer will not find a new solution to avoid a shutdown.
Last year before an election, Schumer was involved in a government shutdown.
A government shutdown means parts of the federal government stop working due to lack of money.
The midterm elections in 2024 will happen shortly after the predicted shutdown date.
Cruz’s prediction reflects political tensions between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate.
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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded sharply to Representative Troy Carter during a House subcommittee hearing. Carter had told Kennedy he wished he would focus less on topics involving wildlife parts.
Key Facts
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the Health and Human Services Secretary.
Representative Troy Carter is a Democrat from Louisiana.
The exchange happened during a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing.
Carter expressed frustration about Kennedy discussing “whale heads, bear heads and raccoon parts.”
Kennedy reacted quickly to Carter’s comment.
The interaction took place as Carter’s time for questioning was ending.
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Voting rights activists have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration because the Justice Department is trying to get lists of registered voters from states. The activists say this move aims to interfere with the upcoming November midterm elections.
Key Facts
Voting rights activists sued the Trump administration on Tuesday.
The lawsuit challenges the Justice Department's requests for state voter registration lists.
The DOJ is collecting election information nationwide.
This effort follows President Trump’s calls to "nationalize" elections.
Activists believe this is an attempt to control or influence the November midterm elections.
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Senators questioned Kevin Warsh, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Reserve, about the bank’s independence and how he plans to handle his financial assets. Warsh said the Fed itself decides its independence and explained his ethics agreement with the administration.
Key Facts
Kevin Warsh is President Donald Trump’s choice to head the Federal Reserve.
Senators asked him about the Fed’s ability to act independently from politics.
Warsh stated that the Federal Reserve decides on its own independence.
He also discussed how he will manage his financial holdings to avoid conflicts of interest.
This questioning took place as Congress is moving toward confirming Jerome Powell’s successor as Fed Chair.
The Federal Reserve is the central bank that manages U.S. money policy.
The ethics agreement is meant to ensure Warsh’s decisions are free from personal financial influence.
The Senate’s approval is needed for Warsh to become Fed Chair.
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President Donald Trump’s second-term Cabinet included more women than his first term and more than past Republican presidents have appointed. However, three women have left their Cabinet roles within two months, while some men with controversies have stayed in their positions.
Key Facts
President Trump appointed more women to his Cabinet in his second term than in his first term or past Republican cabinets.
Three women—Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem—have left the Cabinet recently.
Their departures followed bipartisan pressure due to misconduct scandals and other issues.
Some men facing controversies, like FBI Director Kash Patel and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, remain in their roles.
Mike Waltz left as national security adviser to become U.N. ambassador after involvement in a scandal but remains influential.
Five women still serve in Trump’s Cabinet, including Susie Wiles, the first female White House chief of staff.
The Trump administration has reduced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across federal agencies and the military.
Experts say diversity gains in government came from active efforts and would not happen without intentional work.
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Senator Roger Wicker, who leads the Senate Armed Services Committee, said it was a mistake for the Pentagon to stop requiring all U.S. military members to get flu shots. He pointed out that flu vaccines are different from COVID-19 vaccines, which have been more controversial.
Key Facts
The Pentagon recently changed its policy and no longer requires every military member to get a flu shot.
Senator Roger Wicker disagrees with this policy change and called it a mistake.
Wicker leads the Senate Armed Services Committee, which oversees the military.
He emphasized the difference between flu vaccines and COVID-19 vaccines.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the change in the flu shot requirement.
Wicker made his comments during a press interview on Tuesday.
The flu shot has been a standard preventive measure in the military for years.
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The Supreme Court heard arguments about whether the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can impose large fines on Verizon and AT&T. These fines total over $100 million and relate to how the companies shared their customers’ location information.
Key Facts
The Supreme Court discussed the FCC’s ability to fine Verizon and AT&T.
The fines are more than $100 million combined.
The issue involves the companies’ handling of customers’ location data.
The FCC wants to penalize the companies for sharing location information improperly.
Verizon and AT&T argue against the fines during the court hearing.
The government made some limits or promises about how the fines would work.
The justices appear open to allowing the FCC to continue imposing these penalties.
This case focuses on rules about privacy and data use by telecom companies.
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Virginia voters are participating in a special election to decide on a new map for the state's congressional districts. The election is part of a bigger national debate about how voting districts are drawn across the United States.
Key Facts
Virginia is holding a special election focused on redrawing congressional district boundaries.
The outcome will affect how the state’s voting areas are divided for elections.
Redistricting determines which voters are grouped together to elect representatives.
This election is connected to a larger issue about redistricting happening across the country.
The process can influence political power and election results in Virginia and beyond.
CBS News reporter Fin Gomez is covering the special election.
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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the department will run out of money to pay employee salaries in early May due to the ongoing partial government shutdown. The shutdown has lasted a record 66 days and affects all 22 agencies under DHS.
Key Facts
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued the warning on Tuesday.
DHS cannot pay employee salaries starting early May because of funding issues.
The funding lapse is a result of the ongoing partial government shutdown.
The shutdown has lasted for 66 days, the longest ever.
DHS oversees 22 different agencies that are all affected.
President Donald Trump took actions earlier to address the situation, but current funding problems remain.
The shutdown impacts government operations tied to DHS.
Employees across DHS agencies face uncertainty about their pay.
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The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) announced it is under a U.S. Justice Department criminal investigation over its past use of paid informants who infiltrated extremist groups. The SPLC, founded in 1971 to support civil rights, has a long history of monitoring hate groups and working with law enforcement but now faces possible charges related to its informant program.
Key Facts
The SPLC is a civil rights organization started in 1971 by Alabama lawyer Morris Dees.
It began by representing poor and discriminated people for free in courts during the fight against segregation.
In the 1980s, the SPLC started tracking white supremacist groups, beginning with the Ku Klux Klan.
KKK members tried to burn down SPLC’s office in 1983 as retaliation; three members were later arrested and convicted.
The SPLC used paid informants to secretly join extremist groups and gather information, which was shared with the FBI and local police.
The informant program was not public to protect the informants' safety.
The SPLC has over $700 million in its endowment, funded mainly by donors.
Some conservative groups criticize the SPLC for including them on its hate group tracker, claiming unfair labeling.
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President Donald Trump has made different statements about how long the war with Iran will last since the U.S. and Israel started attacks on February 28. Talks are expected soon in Pakistan to try to end the conflict.
Key Facts
U.S. and Iran representatives are planning to meet in Pakistan to discuss ending the war.
The U.S. and Israel began military strikes against Iran on February 28, called Operation Epic Fury.
President Trump first said the fighting would last four to five weeks but also said it could last much longer.
He made several changing statements, including threats of more bombs if a ceasefire expired on April 21.
Trump said in an online post on April 20 that he was not pressured to make a deal but expected one soon.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also made varying comments about the war timeline.
The war is approaching two months since it began.
PolitiFact collected these statements to show how the president’s timeline predictions changed.
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Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick from Florida announced she is resigning immediately after a House committee found she broke ethics rules. She was also charged by a federal grand jury for allegedly misusing federal disaster money in her 2021 campaign.
Key Facts
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is a Democratic U.S. representative from Florida.
A House ethics committee found she violated rules and planned to recommend a punishment.
She faces a federal indictment for allegedly using over $5 million in disaster funds improperly.
The funds were supposedly funneled from her company to her 2021 congressional campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick said the committee did not give her enough time to prepare her defense.
She called the investigation a “witch-hunt” and said she is stepping down to focus on helping her district.
Her resignation is effective immediately.
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President Donald Trump will take part in a long Bible reading event organized by Christian conservatives at the Museum of the Bible in Washington. This event features public figures reading the entire Bible continuously and aims to highlight Christianity's influence on the United States.
Key Facts
President Trump will read from the Bible book 2 Chronicles during the "America Reads the Bible" event.
The event is a continuous, week-long reading of the entire Bible that began on April 18.
The reading is held at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.
The event coincides with the 250th anniversary of US independence.
Other conservative leaders like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are also participating.
The reading day by Trump was recorded in the Oval Office earlier on the same day.
The event is supported by those who want to emphasize Christianity’s role in U.S. history and leadership.
President Trump has recently had disagreements with Pope Leo XIV over religion and politics, including criticism of the Pope’s comments on war and religion.
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Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from the U.S. House just before a House Ethics Committee was set to decide on sanctions related to ethics violations linked to misuse of COVID relief funds. Her resignation affects Democratic hopes in Florida amid close races and raises questions about party accountability and political messaging.
Key Facts
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned before an Ethics Committee sanction hearing.
She faces federal charges related to diverting $5 million in COVID-era disaster relief funds meant for her family’s health care business.
The funds were allegedly used partly for her congressional campaign and personal items like a yellow diamond ring.
Cherfilus-McCormick denies wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to criminal charges.
The House Ethics Committee investigated for two years, reviewing over 33,000 pages of documents.
Democrats have mixed reactions, with some supporting expulsion if she did not resign.
Republicans are using the case to highlight Democratic vulnerability on ethics issues.
This resignation could impact Florida Democrats’ efforts to show progress in recent close elections.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order to speed up the review process for psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine. This order aims to make it faster to study and potentially approve these substances for medical use.
Key Facts
President Trump signed the executive order on a Saturday.
The focus is on psychedelic drugs, which affect perception and mood.
Ibogaine is one of the psychedelic drugs mentioned.
The order aims to speed up drug reviews by government agencies.
Faster reviews could help new medicines reach patients sooner.
Psychedelic drugs are being studied for potential treatment of mental health conditions.
The government usually takes a long time to review drugs for safety and effectiveness.
This order signals more support for researching new therapies using psychedelics.
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Democrat Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick has resigned from Congress after an investigation found she broke campaign finance rules and other ethics violations. She faces federal charges for allegedly stealing disaster aid money and could go to trial in 2027.
Key Facts
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned from Congress amid a House Ethics Committee investigation.
The investigation found over 20 ethics violations, including breaking campaign finance laws.
She is accused of using FEMA disaster funds to pay for her 2021 election campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick denies wrongdoing and says the investigation prevented her from defending herself.
Federal prosecutors charged her with stealing $5 million in disaster relief funds.
Money was allegedly diverted to friends and family, who then donated it back to her campaign.
Her federal trial is postponed until February 2027, and she faces up to 53 years in prison if convicted.
Her resignation follows similar departures by two other members of Congress facing serious accusations.
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Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida resigned from Congress just before the House Ethics Committee was set to decide on sanctions against her for alleged theft and other wrongdoing. She pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing nearly $5 million in federal relief funds but resigned to avoid a likely expulsion vote.
Key Facts
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick resigned immediately before an Ethics Committee hearing on misconduct allegations.
She is accused of stealing about $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds for her campaign.
The Ethics Committee found strong evidence of misconduct, including false campaign finance reports and improper spending on luxury items.
A rare public hearing by the Ethics Committee judged that most of the allegations against her were proven.
Her lawyer argued that the committee’s actions could harm her chance for a fair trial in court.
Democratic leadership had not yet decided whether to support her expulsion, which would need a two-thirds House vote.
She is the third member of Congress to resign recently amid misconduct allegations.
Rep. Michael Guest, chair of the Ethics Committee, said they lost authority over the case once she resigned.
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President Donald Trump said it would be smart if U.S. companies do not ask for money back from tariffs that the Supreme Court found unconstitutional. He mentioned companies like Apple and Amazon, which have not yet applied for refunds on tariffs they paid.
Key Facts
President Trump discussed tariffs he imposed that the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional.
He said it would be "brilliant" if companies do not seek refunds for those tariffs.
Some large companies, including Apple and Amazon, have not requested tariff refunds.
The tariffs were part of trade policies during Trump's administration.
The issue arose during a phone interview with CNBC.
The tariffs caused extra costs for companies that imported goods.
The Supreme Court decision allows companies to request refunds for these tariffs.
Trump’s statement suggests he is watching which companies ask for refunds.
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Anger remains high in the UK government after Olly Robbins, a senior civil servant, was fired by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Robbins was dismissed because he did not tell the prime minister about security problems related to the former US ambassador Peter Mandelson.
Key Facts
Olly Robbins was sacked for not informing Prime Minister Starmer about Mandelson failing UK security checks.
Many civil servants believe Robbins was punished for quickly approving Mandelson's vetting while managing risks.
Starmer called the failure to disclose the vetting issue “staggering.”
Robbins learned of his dismissal by letter several days after Starmer's decision.
The firing worsened tensions between the Prime Minister’s office (No 10) and the civil service.
Former senior officials and civil service unions criticized Robbins’ treatment as unfair and damaging.
Robbins has worked under many prime ministers and appeared shocked by his dismissal.
Concerns exist about the impact of this event on security processes and civil service morale.
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Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick from Florida resigned from Congress just before a House Ethics Committee meeting about her alleged wrongdoing. She faces charges of stealing nearly $5 million from FEMA funds to use in her campaign and has pleaded not guilty.
Key Facts
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is a Democratic representative from Florida.
She resigned from her position in Congress on a Tuesday.
Her resignation came moments before a House Ethics Committee meeting.
The committee was set to decide if she should be punished for alleged misconduct.
She is accused of stealing about $5 million from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The stolen funds were allegedly used to support her political campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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