Good Tuesday evening. In this edition: Trump signs House-approved funding deal, ending partial shutdown; and Netflix co-CEO pitches senators on proposed acquisition of Warner Bros.
Plus, Clinton, Iran and McConnell.
Government Funding
The House narrowly approved a government funding package to end the partial shutdown and keep the Homeland Security Department funded while lawmakers negotiate over restrictions on immigration enforcement operations.
The $1.2 trillion package — which accounts for roughly 78% of government funding — includes five full-year appropriations bills covering the departments of State, Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Transportation, among other agencies.
It also funds the Homeland Security Department at current levels through Feb. 13, buying a short window of time for lawmakers to complete work on a full-year DHS funding bill.
Congress had been on track to complete its FY 2026 appropriatoins work last week, but the process was upended after federal agents killed a second American citizen in Minneapolis, spurring Democrats to demand changes to immigration enforcement operations as part of the DHS bill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and President Trump reached an agreement to remove the DHS bill from the original six-bill package and replace it with the stopgap measure.
The Senate approved the revised package in a 71–29 vote last Friday.
Passage in the House was uncertain, with lawmakers in both parties dissatisfied with the Senate changes, prompting Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and President Trump to launch an intensive whip operation to secure enough Republican support to move the bill forward.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), who was not involved in the negotiations, withheld Democratic support on the procedural votes, meaning Speaker Johnson could afford to lose no more than one Republican vote on the rule.
The rule vote was held open for nearly an hour as Republican leaders negotiated with holdouts, eventually flipping all but one member — Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) — to allow debate and a final vote.
Attention now turns to negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms and efforts to pass a revised DHS funding bill over the next 10 days.
It remains unclear whether the two sides can reach an agreement or whether Democrats would support another short-term funding bill if talks break down.
Rep. Jeffries said a second DHS stopgap measure is "off the table" and that a full-year bill must include "bold and meaningful change" to immigration enforcement.
"Americans from every corner of the country are demanding accountability and an end to the lawless, paramilitary tactics that ICE is using in our communities," he said in a statement. "Absent bold and meaningful change, there is no credible path forward with respect to the Department of Homeland Security funding bill on February 13."
Sen. Schumer said Democrats would "very shortly" present Republicans with a "detailed" proposal on changes to immigration enforcement policies.
"If Leader Thune negotiates in good faith, we can get it done," he told reporters when asked whether there will be enough time to finalize a deal before the DHS stopgap funding expires.
Democrats want tighter rules governing the use of warrants, a uniform code of conduct for federal officers, a ban on agents wearing masks, and a requirement that agents wear body cameras.
Those proposals have been largely rejected by Republicans and the White House, who want greater cooperation from state and local governments on immigration enforcement and an end to so-called sanctuary cities.
Some Republicans also want to attach the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, a proposal Sen. Schumer called an "abomination."
"It's Jim Crow 2.0 across the country," the Democratic leader said. "We are going to do everything we can to stop it."
Speaker Johnson said the SAVE Act will be part of negotiations but stopped short of saying it would be included in a new DHS funding bill.
"It will be part of the discussion over the next couple of weeks, and we'll see how that shakes out. But I suspect that some of the changes — the procedural modifications with ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement — will be codified," he told reporters.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said the Senate would vote on the SAVE Act "at some point," but that the measure would not necessarily be included in a revised DHS bill.
"I'm not sure exactly what that context will be," he told reporters. "Maybe it's in the context of voting on the DHS bill if something's agreed upon, but there will be at some point a vote on the SAVE Act."
Sen. Thune also all but ruled out changing the chamber's legislative filibuster rules to advance the bill, as some House Republicans have suggested.
"With respect to the filibuster, I think we all know where the votes are on that," he said.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos made his case to lawmakers for why the streaming giant should be allowed to proceed with its planned acquisition of Warner Bros.' studio and streaming assets while testifying before a Senate subcommittee.
"A combined Netflix and Warner Bros. will strengthen the American entertainment industry, preserve choice and value for consumers, and create opportunities for creators," he told senators.
Mr. Sarandos said Netflix's proposed purchase of Warner Bros. — a transaction valued at roughly $82.7 billion that would bring the Warner Bros. film and television studios, HBO and HBO Max into Netflix's portfolio — would expand the company's capacity to produce films in the U.S. using American labor and lower costs for consumers subscribing to both services.
"This deal keeps one of the most iconic Hollywood studios healthy and competitive," he said. "Warner and Netflix together will create value for consumers, more opportunities for the creative community and more American jobs."
Some senators expressed skepticism about the deal, saying it raises antitrust concerns.
Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) pressed Mr. Sarandos on how the proposed deal could affect movie theaters.
"I happen to be one of those people who loves to go see movies in the theatre," he said. "There was a lot of concern that, given the business model you've had to date, that theatrical exhibitions could be cut down from 45 days … down to a lot less, maybe 17."
Mr. Sarandos said the Warner Bros. assets Netflix plans to acquire are "very different from ours" and that minimal changes would be made to their operations.
"We're going to operate Warner Bros. studio largely as it is today, including releasing the movies in the theater with the traditional 45-day window," he said.
"We didn't own a theatrical distributor before, we do now," he added. "This will keep the theater business intact."
Netflix's bid does not include CNN and other Warner Bros. traditional linear television networks, which Warner Bros. plans to spin off into a separate company.
The House Oversight Committeeannounced that former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will appear before the panel for transcribed, filmed depositions on Feb. 27 and Feb. 26, respectively, as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. The Clintons had faced the prospect of being held in criminal contempt of Congress this week after initially refusing to comply with subpoenas seeking their testimony. "Once it became clear that the House of Representatives would hold them in contempt, the Clintons completely caved," Rep. James Comer (R-KY), the committee's chair, said in a statement. "We look forward to questioning the Clintons as part of our investigation into the horrific crimes of Epstein and Maxwell, to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors."
A U.S. fighter jetshot down an Iranian drone after it "aggressively approached" the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea with "unclear intent," U.S. Central Command said. Hours later, a U.S. Navy destroyer escorted a U.S.-flagged tanker that had been harassed by multiple Iranian small boats in the Strait of Hormuz. The incidents come ahead of planned talks between the U.S. and Iran on Friday over the country's nuclear and military programs.
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the former majority leader, checked himself into a local hospital Monday night "in an abundance of caution" after experiencing "flu-like symptoms," his office said in a statement. The 83-year-old senator missed votes on Monday and Tuesday. His spokesman said the senator's prognosis is "positive" and that he remains in "regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business."
For your radar…
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent testifies Wednesday on the U.S. economy before the House Financial Services Committee. Watch LIVE on C-SPAN3 at 10am ET.
%20as%20of%207-11-25.jpg?upscale=true&width=1040&upscale=true&name=Hubspot%20Newsletter%20AffiliateBanner%20(600x488)%20as%20of%207-11-25.jpg)
