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Tag: Capitol

House GOP’s budget impasse thaws just as winter storm sacks Capitol

Democrats take aim at DOGE, Elon Musk

Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on Democrat pushback on the Department of Government Efficiency and its proposed cuts to government spending.

It is said that talk is cheap.

And that’s why House Republicans have done so much of it as they attempted to forge an internal agreement on a budget plan to slash taxes and cut spending.

It is now the middle of February. House Republicans struggled to finalize plans for what President Donald Trump terms a “big beautiful bill.” Especially when you consider all of the talking Republicans did – among themselves – since the start of the year.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE SHARES WHAT’S NEXT FOR HOUSE DOGE PANEL, WHETHER ELON MUSK WOULD TESTIFY

House Republicans cloistered themselves for not one but two daylong sessions on Saturday, Jan. 4, and Sunday, Jan. 5, at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. That’s where House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, and Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith, R-Mo., presented their ideas to slash spending and engineer a budget reconciliation package.

Keep that term in mind. Budget reconciliation. More on that in a moment.

Back on Capitol Hill, House Republicans convened multiple large and small meetings to lay out details on their package. That included a three-day session at President Trump’s golf club in Doral, Florida.

Republicans returned to Washington with claims of “unity.” But still no agreement.

THE CONFIRMATION JUGGERNAUT: HOW TRUMP IS GETTING EVERYTHING HE WANTS IN BUILDING HIS CABINET

Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images/File)

Arrington hoped to prepare the budget plan in his committee last week. Such a meeting would produce a “budget reconciliation” package. Budget reconciliation is a process where the Senate can bypass a filibuster and approve a bill with a simple majority. But the package must be fiscal in nature, such as addressing spending cuts and taxes. Thus, this plan likely qualifies for reconciliation. Senate Republicans must lean on budget reconciliation because they only have 53 GOP members. Not 60, which are required to break a conventional filibuster. But reconciliation is part of the annual budget process. And the reconciliation option isn’t available unless a budget blueprint is in place. No budget? No reconciliation.

House Republicans grappled last week to reach a deal. So the House GOP brass set off for the White House for a meeting with the president.

“He’s going to have to make some decisions,” said one senior House Republican of President Trump, noting he’s the only one who could help the party coalesce around an idea.

The session lasted for nearly five hours, although President Trump wasn’t in the session the entire time. Meantime, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was supposed to meet at the Capitol with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But Netanyahu was left cooling his heels on Capitol Hill as Republicans debated plans and scribbled figures on whiteboards.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on July 24, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

“[President Trump] set the tone for us to push through some things that we were stuck on,” said Arrington when he returned to the Capitol.

“We made serious progress and have narrowed the gap to where we’re very close to getting ready to bring this to Budget Committee,” said Senate Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.

Johnson even predicted the plan may be ready later that evening. Hence, a group of Republicans retreated for another set of meetings until well after midnight.

“I’d like to see their plan,” complained Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. “They’re not going to force me into something.”

HOUSE AND SENATE REPUBLICANS CLASH OVER MAMMOTH TRUMP BUDGET BILL SEEKING $1.5T IN CUTS

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. (Getty Images/File)

By Friday morning, Johnson was again diminishing expectations.

“It may not be today,” said Johnson.

However, the speaker hinted that the details could be ready later that weekend.

“We’ve got a few more people we’ve got to talk with and a couple more boxes to check,” said Johnson. “The expectation is it we’ll be marking up a budget next week, potentially as early as Tuesday.”

But the weekend optimism died when the speaker appeared on “Fox News Sunday.”

“We were going to do a Budget Committee markup next week. We might push it a little bit further because the details really matter,” said Johnson on Sunday. “But we’re getting very, very close.”

Johnson attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans later that day with President Trump. So could there have been a breakthrough amid the confetti, étouffée and Cooper DeJean madness of the Super Bowl?

“Are we going to have this bill this week, yes or no?” yours truly asked the speaker as he entered the Capitol on Monday afternoon.

Speaker Johnson is working to get a unified GOP effort for a reconciliation budget package for President Trump. (Getty Images)

Johnson deployed his favorite verbal placeholder.

“Stay tuned,” said the speaker, who uses this line as frequently as a 1950s radio announcer.

“You said last week we were going to have it,” I countered.

“I know,” said Johnson. “I’ve got 220 people that have shared their opinions on this.”

“Did you overpromise?” I followed up.

“No. No,” responded Johnson. “The hard work of the negotiation has to be done on the front end so that we can deliver a product that we know everybody will support.”

Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., tired of the House GOP’s dithering last week, wrote his own budget package, which significantly differs from what the House intends to do. While the House blueprint will focus on taxes and government cuts, Graham’s measure would boost energy production and also call for spending money to tighten the border. The South Carolina Republican has long observed that people voted for border security in the election. He argues that provision should come first.

SENATE DOGE CHAIR SAYS SHE SPEAKS WITH ELON MUSK ‘EVERY FEW DAYS’ AS TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES SPENDING

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik/File)

Johnson said he talked with Graham at the Super Bowl and “he and I are on the same page.”

When asked by CNN’s Manu Raju whether Graham’s gambit was “complicating this,” Johnson answered, “Not much.”

But when yours truly asked if the Senate moving first would help “increase the sense of urgency” in the House, the speaker responded differently.

“I wouldn’t say it’s helpful,” said Johnson.

An hour later, reporters again peppered Johnson for timing details.

“I’m not going to give a projected date yet because then you’ll tell me that I overshot,” said Johnson. “So just wait. Everybody relax.”

This entire imbroglio boils down to one factor: the math.

House Republicans currently boast 218 votes in the 433-member House. There are two vacancies. They can barely lose a vote on their side. Getting any bill across the floor is a monster.

A major snowstorm was in the forecast for Washington, D.C., on Tuesday afternoon and into the day on Wednesday. House Republican leaders huddled in the Radio/TV Gallery in the Capitol Visitor Center for their weekly press conference Tuesday morning.

“Ready for snowmageddon?” House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, R-Mich., asked the press corps. “And the question is: Are we going to get it today or not?”

Families enjoy the snow by the Capitol, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, as they sled after a snowstorm in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

“Well, you were supposed to get a budget last week, and we didn’t,” observed your trusty reporter, drawing laughter from scribes and lawmakers alike.

At the press conference, Johnson insisted that the budget was on track. He announced that the Budget Committee would meet Thursday on the package.

But what unfolded in the news conference wasn’t nearly as interesting as what happened afterward.

Arrington hustled over to the Radio/TV Gallery to privately meet Johnson and other GOP leaders in an adjacent anteroom. Johnson and Arrington had not been on the same page with the budget. Fox is told that Arrington and Johnson had to make sure they were aligned. Arrington had pushed for deeper cuts than Johnson.

By Wednesday morning, Arrington delivered a budget blueprint. It called for $2 trillion in cuts from what’s called “mandatory spending,” like entitlements. It features $4.5 trillion in tax reductions. And it lifts the debt ceiling by $4 trillion.

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The question now is whether House Republicans can pry a bill out of committee, let alone pass it on the floor.

But after weeks of jawboning, House Republicans finally had a budget.

And, for the record, Washington, D.C., also got snow.

About 7 inches.

Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.

February 13, 2025
JD Vance’s Capitol Hill connections proving crucial to Trump Cabinet confirmations

Vice President JD Vance has emerged as a key player in President Donald Trump’s effort to close the deal with senators and move his Cabinet nominees through the at-times difficult confirmation process.

Vance is becoming an increasingly trusted voice among Republican senators, sources familiar shared with Fox News Digital.

Republicans in the upper chamber also view the vice president as an honest broker in their talks about how to push Trump’s agenda forward, sources added, noting that this had established trust in Vance.

TRUMP, GOP SENATORS TO DINE AT MAR-A-LAGO BEFORE CAMPAIGN RETREAT

Vice President JD Vance, center, was a key facilitator to getting vulnerable Cabinet nominees past committee. (Getty Images)

When it came to getting two of Trump’s most controversial nominees past their respective committees, Vance stepped up to assist, sources said.

Both Director of National Intelligence (DNI) nominee Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced uncertainty ahead of key hurdles in the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on Finance, respectively.

Each committee housed potentially hesitant Republicans, who expressed initial uncertainty about the nominees. During the crucial committee-level votes, Gabbard and Kennedy could not afford to lose even one Republican’s support.

INSIDE SEN. TOM COTTON’S CAMPAIGN TO SAVE TULSI GABBARD’S ENDANGERED DNI NOMINATION

Tulsi Gabbard, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be director of national intelligence, arrives to testify during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Jan. 30, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

Ultimately, Gabbard earned the support of moderate Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, in addition to the last-minute backing of Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind.

Similarly, Kennedy managed to snag Young’s support before the committee vote, and holdout Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a doctor, announced his plan to vote for the nominee just minutes before it took place.

To lock down these votes, a significant effort was underway behind closed doors — which included Vance’s crucial counsel to the senators.

The vice president spoke to both Young and Cassidy several times in the days leading up to the recent committee votes that saw Gabbard and Kennedy advance to the Senate floor, the sources told Fox News Digital. In those conversations, Vance talked through any remaining concerns the senators had with the nominees.

LEADER THUNE BACKS SENATE GOP BID TO SPEED PAST HOUSE ON TRUMP BUDGET PLAN

Vice President JD Vance had several conversations with both Sen. Bill Cassidy and Sen. Todd Young, right. (Getty Images/ Reuters)

A number of other administration officials had phone calls with Young and Cassidy, as well, also helping to parse through their lingering doubts.

Vance’s conversations proved persuasive, in part because of his long-maintained relationships with both senators, whom he served with up until January, the sources detailed.

“I think he’s been tasked with this role because of his preexisting relationship with us,” Young told reporters.

According to the senator, Vance was respectful and actually “listened a lot more than he talked.”

FORMER GOP LEADER MCCONNELL FALLS WHILE EXITING SENATE CHAMBER AFTER TURNER CONFIRMATION VOTE

Vice President JD Vance served in the Senate until last month. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The vice president was also “effective” in getting the necessary concessions that Young, in particular, needed to get to a yes on the nominees.

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“He came through, he delivered for me, and I’m grateful for that,” Young said, noting he also delivered for Trump.

The Indiana senator further explained he has “a certain affinity for Senator Vance,” adding, “He’s a Midwesterner. He is a U.S. Marine. And we share a lot of concerns about people who are left behind and overlooked and underprivileged.”

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to [email protected].

February 10, 2025
Trump HHS nominee RFK Jr returns to Capitol Hill for round 2 after heated first day of hearings

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is back on Capitol Hill for a second day of Senate confirmation hearings after a grilling by Democrats during a contentious first day on Wednesday.

Kennedy will take questions on Thursday in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

On Wednesday, in front of the Senate Finance Committee, which will vote on Kennedy’s confirmation, there were plenty of verbal fireworks over past controversial comments by the vaccine skeptic and environmental crusader who ran for the White House in 2024 before ending his bid and endorsing Trump.

But Kennedy’s uneven performance didn’t appear to do damage to his confirmation, as no Republican on the panel voiced opposition to his nomination to lead 18 powerful federal agencies that oversee the nation’s food and health. Those agencies include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

MULTIPLE OUTBURSTS AT COMBUSTIBLE RFK JR CONFIRMATION HEARING

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during a Senate Finance Committee hearing on his nomination to be HHS secretary on Jan. 29, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

Democrats on the committee repeatedly pointed to Kennedy’s controversial vaccine views, including his repeated claims in recent years linking vaccines to autism, which have been debunked by scientific research.

They also spotlighted Kennedy’s service for years as chair or chief legal counsel for Children’s Health Defense, the nonprofit organization he founded that has advocated against vaccines and sued the federal government numerous times, including a challenge over the authorization of the COVID vaccine for children.

“Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks and charlatans, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He’s made it his life’s work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids life-saving vaccines,” Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the panel, charged in his opening statement.

WATCH: RFK JR WARNS THAT AMERICA’S HEALTH IS IN ‘GRIEVIOUS CONDITION’

The senator also pointed to past Kennedy vaccine comments in podcasts, including one from 2020 when he said he would “pay anything” to be able to go back in time and not vaccinate his kids.

“Are you lying to Congress today when you say you are pro-vaccine? Or did you lie on all those podcasts?” Wyden asked.

Pushing back in a heated exchange, Kennedy said the statements he made on podcasts have “been repeatedly debunked.”

And he vowed he would do nothing to prevent Americans from obtaining certain vaccines.

“I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking anything,” Kennedy said.

Democrat Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado accused Kennedy of “peddling half-truths, peddling false statements.”

RFK JR ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF PUSHING DISHONEST NARRATIVE

And Democrat Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, who has known Kennedy for decades, dating back to their days as law school students and roommates at the University of Virginia, told his friend, “Frankly, you frighten people.”

Kennedy was also heckled multiple times near the start of the hearing.

As Kennedy delivered his opening comments and said, “News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither. I am pro-safety,” a protester shouted, “You lie.”

The heckler was led out of the hearing room by Capitol Police, as was a second protester minutes later.

And another protester was spotted in the audience holding a sign reading, “Vaccines Save Lives, No RFK JR.”

A protester holds up a sign reading, “Vaccines save lives,” as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies during his Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 29, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

The 71-year-old Kennedy, a scion of the nation’s most storied political dynasty, launched a long-shot campaign for the Democrat presidential nomination against President Joe Biden in April 2023. But six months later, he switched to an independent run for the White House.

Kennedy made major headlines again last August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. While Kennedy had long identified as a Democrat and repeatedly invoked his late father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his late uncle, former President John F. Kennedy – who were both assassinated in the 1960s – Kennedy in recent years built relationships with far-right leaders due in part to his high-profile vaccine skepticism.

Trump announced soon after the November election that he would nominate Kennedy to his Cabinet to run HHS.

Now-President Donald Trump welcomes Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the stage at a campaign rally on Oct. 23, 2024, in Duluth, Ga. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

In the two months since Trump’s announcement, it’s not just Democrats who’ve raised questions about Kennedy’s confirmation. Social conservative Republicans took issue with his past comments in support of abortion rights.

“My belief is we should leave it to the woman. We shouldn’t have the government involved, even if it’s full term,” Kennedy said as he ran for president.

But since endorsing Trump, Kennedy has walked back his stance on abortion. And in an exchange Wednesday with Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Kennedy said, “I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy.”

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a former two-time Democrat presidential candidate, argued that Kennedy made a “major U-turn” on abortion.

Kennedy was also questioned about how he would reform Medicare and Medicaid, the massive government healthcare programs used by millions of older, disabled and low-income Americans.

“I don’t have a broad proposal for dismantling the program,” Kennedy said of Medicaid.

And he said Trump hadn’t asked him to cut the program but rather “asked me to make it better.”

Kennedy, whose outspoken views on Big Pharma and the food industry have also sparked controversy, vowed that “if confirmed, I will do everything in my power to put the health of Americans back on track.”

While Democrats may find common ground with Kennedy’s aim to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including overhauling dietary guidelines, taking aim at ultra-processed foods and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases, Kennedy lamented that they oppose him because he’s Trump’s nominee.

“Now they’re against me because anything that President Trump does, any decision he makes, has to be lampooned, derided, discredited, marginalized, vilified,” Kennedy said.

RFK JR LIKELY TO BE CONFIRMED AS HEALTH SECRETARY, FOX NEWS MEDICAL ANALYST PREDICTS

With Republicans controlling the Senate by a 53-47 majority, Kennedy can only afford to lose the support of three GOP senators if Democrats unite against his confirmation. During Wednesday’s hearing, no Republicans appeared to oppose the nomination.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina appeared to lean into the Democrats’ attacks on Kennedy by asking, “I got a real quick question for you: Are you a conspiracy theorist?”

Kennedy answered that it “is a pejorative that’s applied to me mainly to keep me from asking difficult questions of powerful interests.”

GOP Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, a chemical engineer, noted that there were several Republican doctors on the committee.

“We believe in science. I’m thankful that you do, too,” Daines said.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who said he had a “frank conversation” with Kennedy about immunizations when they met this month, didn’t ask about vaccines during the committee hearing. Instead, he kept his questions about federal healthcare programs, including Medicare.

Meanwhile, GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin took aim at Democrats on the committee for what he claimed was “hostility on the other side. … I’m disappointed with it.”

Following Wednesday’s hearing, Democrats kept up their criticism.

“I think you saw today that he’s not backing down from any of his really crazy, loony conspiracy beliefs,” Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told reporters.

And Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who is thought to be one of the few Democrats who may support Kennedy’s confirmation, said, “I don’t think it went well for him.”

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But GOP Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas, who sits on the Finance Committee, pointed to Democrats on the panel and said, “I understand their concerns about vaccines. I think Bobby put those concerns to bed.”

And Republican Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana told reporters that Kennedy “did great today. I expect him to do great tomorrow.”

January 30, 2025
Senate hearings for Trump nominees resume on Capitol Hill

The Senate will have separate committee hearings for three of President Donald Trump’s administration nominees on Wednesday, including former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is considered one of his more vulnerable picks.

At approximately 10 a.m. on Wednesday, hearings for both Kennedy in the Finance Committee and Howard Lutnick in the Commerce Committee will begin.

PETE BUTTIGIEG GIVING ‘SERIOUS LOOK’ TO 2026 SENATE RUN IN TRUMP-WON MICHIGAN

Kennedy and Loeffler will have committee hearings on Wednesday. (Reuters)

Trump picked Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), while Lutnick is the president’s choice for Commerce secretary.

In the afternoon, Kelly Loeffler goes before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. The hearing for Trump’s pick to lead the Small Business Administration starts at 3:30 p.m.

GARY PETERS, DEMOCRATIC SENATOR FROM TRUMP STATE, WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION

Howard Lutnick is being considered for secretary of commerce. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

Several of Trump’s nominees have already been confirmed, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Transportation Secretary-designate Sean Duffy.

While the Hegseth confirmation came down to the wire, with Vice President JD Vance being needed to break a tie in the Senate, there’s been some indication that other Trump nominees such as Kennedy, former Democrat Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and potentially Kash Patel will have their own uphill battles to getting confirmed.

TRUMP’S MOST VULNERABLE NOMINEES RFK JR, TULSI GABBARD GET BACK-TO-BACK HEARINGS

Kelly Loeffler is a former senator from Georgia. (Alyssa Pointer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Gabbard is Trump’s choice to be director of national intelligence, and Patel is nominated to be the next attorney general.

While the Finance Committee will ultimately vote on whether to advance Kennedy’s nomination to the Senate floor, he will also have a hearing on Thursday before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions because of the position’s relevance to public health.

PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE

Kennedy is one of Trump’s more controversial picks. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

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Senators on both sides of the aisle in the Finance Committee are expected to ask Kennedy for clarifications on his past statements regarding vaccines and how he would apply his beliefs if confirmed to lead HHS.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to [email protected].

January 29, 2025
‘Unusual order’ barring commuted J6 defendants from DC, Capitol raises constitutional implications: expert

An order barring commuted Jan. 6 defendants from entering Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Capitol could raise constitutional challenges, one legal expert says.

In a filing Friday, Judge Amit P. Mehta specified the order applied to “Defendants Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerchel, and Joseph Hacket,” whose sentences were commuted. Those pardoned are not subject to the order.

Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, was previously seen in the Capitol complex’s Longworth House Office Building. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy.

PRO-LIFE PROTESTERS PARDONED BY TRUMP, FOX CONFIRMS

The order states, “You must not knowingly enter the District of Columbia without first obtaining the permission from the Court.” It adds, “You must not knowingly enter the United States Capitol Building or onto surrounding grounds known as Capitol Square.”

An order barring commuted Jan. 6 defendants from entering Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Capitol could raise constitutional challenges, one legal expert says. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The filing says the order is effective as of Friday at noon. Later that day, the Justice Department filed a motion seeking to lift the order.

“If a judge decided that Jim Biden, General Mark Milley, or another individual were forbidden to visit America’s capital — even after receiving a last-minute, preemptive pardon from the former President— I believe most Americans would object. The individuals referenced in our motion have had their sentences commuted — period, end of sentence,” Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Martin said in a statement.

“This is a very unusual order,” Jonathan Turley, Fox News Media contributor and the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University, told Fox News Digital. “The judge is relying on the fact that the sentences were commuted, but the defendants did not receive full pardons.”

COMMUTED JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS BARRED FROM DC, CAPITOL BUILDING BY FEDERAL JUDGE

Ron Coleman, counsel at Dhillon Law Group, called the order “novel.”

Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers was convicted of seditious conspiracy. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

“It is unclear what basis the court would have to assert jurisdiction over someone who has been pardoned for the conviction that is presumably the basis for the order or what the legal grounds are for making Washington, D.C., the kind of national capital, like Moscow in the old USSR, that a citizen needs permission to enter,” Coleman said.

NANCY PELOSI SLAMS TRUMP’S ‘SHAMEFUL’ PARDONS OF JAN. 6 DEFENDANTS

Turley said that although the new order could “prove a factor” in President Donald Trump extending a full pardon to those with commuted sentences, “it’s not clear whether an order will prompt Trump to reconsider his decision to offer only commutations.”

Turley noted that the order could raise constitutional challenges, including First Amendment implications.

Trump pardoned nearly all Jan. 6 defendants earlier this week after promising to do so at his inaugural parade. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)

“I think the court is effectively barring these individuals from being able to associate or petition government officials without the prior approval of the court,” Turley said. “That could raise questions under the First Amendment.

“I expect this will be challenged by these individuals.”

Trump pardoned nearly all Jan. 6 defendants earlier this week after promising to do so at his inaugural parade.

DOJ CONSIDERS CHARGING 200 MORE PEOPLE 4 YEARS AFTER JAN. 6 CAPITOL ATTACK

Trump signed off Monday on releasing more than 1,500 people charged with crimes from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the U.S. Capitol. The order required the Federal Bureau of Prisons to act immediately on receipt of the pardons.

Those pardoned in his initial order included Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys chairman who faced a sentence of 22 years in prison for seditious conspiracy.

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Fox News’ David Spunt, Diana Stancy and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.

Haley Chi-Sing is a Writer for Fox News Digital. You can reach her at @haleychising on X.

January 24, 2025
Commuted Jan. 6 defendants barred from DC, Capitol building by federal judge

A federal district judge issued an order Friday barring certain January 6 defendants with commutations from entering Washington, D.C., or the U.S. Capitol building.

In the filing, Judge Amit P. Mehta specified the order applied to “Defendants Stewart Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, Roberto Minuta, Edward Vallejo, David Moerchel, and Joseph Hacket” – whose sentences were commuted. Those pardoned are not subject to the order.

The order states “You must not knowingly enter the District of Columbia without first obtaining the permission from the Court” and “You must not knowingly enter the United States Capitol Building or onto surrounding grounds known as Capitol Square.”

The filing says the order is effective as of Friday at noon.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Haley Chi-Sing is a Writer for Fox News Digital. You can reach her at @haleychising on X.

January 24, 2025
‘Complete failure’: Government shutdown crisis threatens Capitol Hill as Trump plans policy overhaul

There are less than two months until the next government funding deadline on March 14, and House lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned about the speed of their progress on spending talks.

“I think it’s a complete failure for us to not have a topline number,” said Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla.

Congressional Republicans have been busy negotiating a massive conservative policy and budget overhaul via a process called “reconciliation,” which allows the party holding both the House and Senate to enact sweeping changes by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51.

But all the while, Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital are worried about falling behind on the federal appropriations process for fiscal year (FY) 2025, with no topline funding numbers to work from yet and just 19 days left in session until the deadline.

TRUMP’S REMAIN IN MEXICO POLICY COULD BE REVIVED UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP BILL

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is navigating multiple critical legislative actions in the next few months. (Getty Images/AP)

Congress has extended the FY 2025 deadline twice since the period began Oct. 1 – most recently passing a short-term funding extension of FY 2024 funding levels, known as a continuing resolution (CR), in late December.

“Appropriation bills have to get done. If we end up with another CR, that would be catastrophic. That would mean, in essence, a reduction on defense [funding],” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. “But for us to start doing it, we need a topline number. But I’m optimistic we’ll get there.”

If nothing is done by March 14, Congress could be forced to contend with a partial government shutdown in the middle of their reconciliation talks – and within the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Other members of the committee suggested they were similarly in the dark about a topline number, but were cautiously hopeful.

“We are less than eight weeks away from the CR expiring. We need to be able to get those toplines as soon as possible and get to work,” said Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla. “I have full faith and confidence that Tom Cole will be able to make that happen in the next week or two.”

Rep. Cory Mills blasted Congress for not having a topline appropriations number yet. (David Dee Delgado)

Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., has been “in consultation” with his counterparts on a towline number.

Asked about the possibility of another CR, he said, “We have several things going on at once – the reconciliation package, raising the debt ceiling, and the appropriations process. So let’s just hope for the best and deal with the worst if we have to.”

Republican leaders have previously been forced to seek Democratic support to pass CRs, which normally hit a wall of opposition among a cross-section of the GOP.

TRUMP’S ICE RACKS UP HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS, INCLUDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR HORROR CRIMES

Conservative hardliners told Fox News Digital they’re bracing for another CR or, worse in their eyes, a massive package combining Congress’ 12 regular appropriation bills into one massive “omnibus.”

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said he and other conservatives were working on a bill to keep border security operations funded in the event of a government shutdown.

“We’re running out of time,” he said, adding that Republicans should “probably stay in next week” instead of flying to their annual issues conference in Miami.

Rep. Ralph Norman said he is working on a bill to keep the border funded in the event of a shutdown. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Rep. Keith Self, R-Fla., pointed out that House lawmakers have just over two weeks’ worth of days in session to come up with a plan.

“I’m very concerned. I’m also concerned that if we screw up the CR on March the 14th, does it poison the reconciliation negotiations?” Self posed.

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But not all conservatives are concerned. House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., said he would be in favor of a full-year CR if “we write it properly.”

“You tell me what the topline is, and I’ll tell you whether I’m concerned,” he said.

Fox News Digital reached out to congressional Republican leaders and the House Appropriations Committee for comment.

Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.

Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to [email protected]

January 23, 2025
WATCH: Lawmakers refuse to say how many genders there are when confronted on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers refused to say how many genders there are when confronted just days after President Donald Trump proclaimed that there are only two “not changeable” sexes: male and female.

Former President Joe Biden refrained from defining gender as strictly binary and issued directives supporting the recognition of individual gender identity on federal documents. This included allowing Americans to select “X” as a gender option on their passports, alongside male and female. In contrast, Trump’s order, declaring the existence of only two genders, will reverse efforts allowing the use of a gender different from that assigned at birth on documents like driver’s licenses.

In the wake of Trump’s order, Fox News Digital surveyed lawmakers on Capitol Hill about the number of recognized genders, but most members of Congress refused to answer the question.

“I have one meeting to go to, that’s all I’m worried about right now,” Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, told Fox when asked how many genders there are.

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Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, would not say how many genders there are when asked by Fox News Digital. (Fox News Digital)

Another Democrat, Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., told Fox that there are “two” genders but that “people are often uncertain what there is.”

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“These people are ridiculous,” Democrat Rep. Greg Casar of Texas said as he walked away.

Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., arrives for a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus.

Other lawmakers who did not say how many genders there are included Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., and Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn.

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Trump is taking aim at several of Biden’s federal orders surrounding gender identity, such as revoking the Enabling All Qualified Americans to Serve Their Country in Uniform order, which allowed transgender people to serve in the military.

Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.

January 23, 2025