CQ Morning Briefing

The Senate's ambitious plan for a four-bill spending package faces an uphill climb. Proponents of a congressional stock trading ban gear up for a Wednesday hearing. And defense contractors want "right-to-repair" language removed from the defense authorization bill. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.

The longest-ever government shutdown is over. The House could vote as soon as next week on a measure to compel the release of Epstein documents. And lawmakers urge changes to troops' "basic needs" allowance. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025.

It's Day 43 of the partial government shutdown — and potentially the last, as the House looks to clear the CR. Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, D-Ariz., will finally be sworn in. And senators have plans to advance four more fiscal 2026 spending bills before long. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025.

It's Day 41 of the government shutdown, but the end may be near after a Senate breakthrough over the weekend. Ahead of Veterans Day, one veteran lawmaker is pushing a group of bills seeking to protect veterans and servicemembers from deportation. And Rep. Elise Stefanik's bid to be governor of New York opens up a deep-red House seat. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Nov. 10, 2025.

Senate Republican leaders will again push a procedural vote on stopgap spending, this time with a potential package of three full-year bills. A key House lawmaker says a compromise NDAA likely won't include the topline bump the Senate has suggested. And as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to retire, she leaves a historic legacy as a vote-counter and tactician. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Friday, Nov. 7, 2025.

It's Day 37 of the record-breaking partial government shutdown, and the endgame is still unclear. Tuesday's elections have a ripple effect on members of key congressional panels. And the Senate weighs in on Trump's military strikes in Venezuela. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.

It's Day 36 of what's now the longest-ever partial government shutdown. Both parties have internal disagreements on next steps. SNAP beneficiaries face delays while some Head Start programs close. And the Supreme Court takes up Trump's tariffs. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025.

It's Day 35 of the partial shutdown, tying the longest ever. Senate Republicans are mulling a longer stopgap. Three defense nominees go before the Senate Armed Services Committee. And voters elect new governors in Virginia and New Jersey. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.

It's Day 34 of the shutdown. This could be a critical week for finding a way to end the funding lapse. Angst over boat strikes is bipartisan. And advocates and a senior lawmaker are pushing to restore military housing funding that was tapped to pay troops during the shutdown. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.

It's Day 30 of the partial shutdown. Dialogue ramps up among senators on somehow ending the funding lapse. Both parties broaden their shutdown-related messaging. And whenever the House returns to legislative session, it'll have a lot to catch up on. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.

Open enrollment is likely to begin with questions still surrounding expiring enhanced health insurance subsidies. More votes On tariffs, including a measure to end a 35 percent levy against Canada, are on tap this week. And another vote related to strikes on alleged drug-running boats is likely as soon as next week. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.

Hopes fade for a compromise on federal employees' pay. A move by a federal employee union illuminates Democrats' competing priorities. And Trump asks the Supreme Court to allow for removing the register of copyrights while her firing is in court. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025.

The Agriculture Department says it lacks authority to fund food stamps while appropriations are lapsed. Senators focused on sanctioning Russia are on the same page as the EU. And the Energy Department wants to see speedier approvals for data centers. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Oct. 27, 2025.

It's Day 24 of the partial government shutdown. The Senate could compromise on a bill to pay federal workers during the shutdown. But a deal on health care subsidies is looking less likely. And the top House appropriator is looking to quickly get a three-bill spending package moving when the government reopens. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Friday, Oct. 24, 2025.

With the shutdown now in a fourth week, the Senate holds a procedural vote on a bill to pay troops and certain civilian federal workers. The future for additional bipartisan Russia-related bills is unclear. And capital formation bills could be on tap in the Capitol once the House returns. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025.

The shutdown has now dragged long enough for Republicans to contemplate a longer stopgap funding measure. A dispute over hemp reemerges on the Agriculture spending bill. And defense authorizers want to have compromise text of their annual defense policy bill ready by early December. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025.

It's Day 21 of the partial government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune ponders a potential longer-term stopgap. A Russia sanctions bill is on hold ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting. And the Supreme Court now has two major gun cases on this term's agenda. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025.

It's Day 20 of the partial government shutdown. Furloughs are coming for judiciary and nuclear security staff. A federal judge expands her temporary block on shutdown layoffs. And action on the next cryptocurrency bill is being held up by language in...the previous cryptocurrency bill. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.

It's Day 17 of the partial government shutdown. Zelenskyy visits Trump. Democrats pan Thune's latest offer on a health care vote. And SNAP funding could run out soon. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Friday, Oct. 17, 2025.

It's Day 16 of the partial government shutdown. The Senate plans a procedural vote on a Defense spending bill. Appropriators are asking questions about how the Trump administration is paying the troops. And Sen. Lindsey Graham wants a vote on Russia sanctions. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025.

It's Day 15 of the partial government shutdown, and the parties remain dug in. Laid off federal workers want Congress to get more details about their firings. And the Supreme Court hears a potentially landmark case on redistricting. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025.

Senators are continuing to weigh paths out of a shutdown amid pressure related to military pay. The House and Senate are ready to hash out a final fiscal 2026 NDAA. And foreign countries are looking to take advantage of Trump's fee hike on applications for H-1B visas and attract foreign talent. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.

Though an exit route seems distant, Democrats are optimistic about an eventual deal on health care tax credits. A Defense and Labor-HHS-Education bundle is on Senate appropriators' radar for after the government reopens. Trump's nominee to be Air Force chief of staff gets a Senate confirmation hearing. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Oct. 8, 2025.

Democrats and Republicans remain at odds as the Trump administration threatens the back pay of furloughed employees. That pay could need additional legislative action to be released. Democrats push against Trump's recent military use. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.

Trump signals that he's open to health care subsidy negotiations. Bondi appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee. And a Senate joint resolution related to U.S. strikes in the Caribbean Sea could see a vote as soon as this week. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.

Some Republicans suggest there's a deal to be had to potentially end the shutdown, but Democrats aren't yet convinced. The Supreme Court kicks off its new term today. And the impact of a rollback of EV and renewable energy tax credits is beginning to be felt. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.

It's Day 3 of a partial government shutdown. Both sides are dug in, and no weekend Senate votes are currently expected. The administration raises the stakes in its rhetoric on efforts to combat drug cartels. And a key senator's AI framework is getting backing from Big Tech, but privacy and consumer advocates still have concerns. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Friday, October 3, 2025.

Bipartisan talks to try to find a way out of the shutdown take shape. As courts navigate the shutdown, dozens of challenges to Trump administration policies are on pause. Hill staffers are bracing for the shutdown's impact. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025.

Today is the first day of a partial government shutdown after a funding deadline passed at midnight. Federal agencies are expected to furlough employees as the shutdown takes effect. Some senators are pushing a bill that would establish liabilities for AI developers. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025.

Lawmakers are up against a deadline today to fund the government and avoid a partial shutdown. Agencies plan for a partial shutdown. And the stopgap situation slows down discussions on full-year appropriations. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025.

Trump meets with leaders of both parties ahead of a potential government shutdown. The Senate Armed Services Committee has a hearing about the "Golden Dome" missile defense proposal. And Republicans hold a pair of hearings focused on crime. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Sept. 29, 2025.

The chances of a government shutdown increase as Trump cancels a meeting with Democrats. Trump's visa overhaul faces pushback, but follows years of congressional inaction. Some lawmakers raise concerns about the administration's acetaminophen guidance. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.

The House is expected to vote on a spending stopgap — and then, so could the Senate. The Senate's defense authorization bill is slipping past a goal of wrapping up floor action this week. And HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gets invited to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.

The House nears a vote on a CR as Democrats unveil their own take on the legislation. Amid a broader push for federal control, the House Oversight Committee holds a hearing about Washington, D.C. A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee looks at 29 bills related to broadband regulation. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025.

House Republicans are pushing their take on a spending stopgap as they attempt to lock in support from their conference. The newly unveiled CR would extend some health provisions and include funding for a Defense program that's a priority for lawmakers but not the Trump administration. The Senate is still hoping to wrap up fiscal 2026 NDAA action this week, though amendment talks are still ongoing. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025.

A House GOP stopgap funding measure might get released as soon as today. The House could vote on a group of bills related to federal control of the District of Columbia. And the ousted CDC director makes her first public appearance since her firing for an oversight hearing. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Sept. 15, 2025.

Republicans want Trump's opinion on re-upping ACA tax credits. WIC and the FDA could be sticking points for an Agriculture appropriations conference. And some Republicans have concerns about Trump's "pocket rescission" attempt. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.

House Republicans are discussing a continuing resolution that would last through late November or early December. The Senate continues work on its defense policy bill after the House passed its own version. The Senate may move forward as soon as today on retooling consideration of some nominees.Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.

The House is expected to vote to go to conference with the Senate on three spending bills. House appropriators mark up a Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill. And the House could vote on its fiscal 2026 defense authorization bill as the Senate considers its own version. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025.

House appropriators mark up a Labor-HHS-Education spending bill. The House Rules Committee continues its work on a rule for the chamber's NDAA. The Senate GOP moves forward on efforts to change the rules for some nominees. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2025.

Two House spending bills and one Senate spending bill get full committee markups. The defense authorization bills are on both the House and Senate agendas for this week. And a bill to increase criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants could come to the House floor. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Monday, Sept. 8, 2025.

Both chambers are expected to have their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act on the floor next week. The House Budget chair is looking at a two-pronged approach to a second reconciliation bill this fall. And Trump wants to rename the Department of Defense; a proposed NDAA amendment would codify it. David Higgins has your CQ Morning Briefing for Friday, Sept. 5, 2025.

Democrats are open to a bipartisan CR as the House looks to pass its Energy-Water spending bill. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. goes before the Senate Finance Committee. A bipartisan congressional stock trading bill could provide a path for action. Jacob Fulton has your CQ Morning Briefing for Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.