What Happened: President Trump and Congressional Republican leaders have laid out a path for ending the record-setting nearly 60-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
State of Play: After President Trump called for funding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before June 1, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson announced a dual-track strategy for funding DHS. The expected plan is to fund all DHS agencies, with the exception of ICE and CBP, through the appropriations process, similar to a bill that passed the Senate with bipartisan support last week. Separately, ICE and CBP would be funded for three years (the rest of the Trump administration) through the reconciliation process, a procedural maneuver that allows legislation to move through the Senate without the support of Democrats.
Pressure Points: Some Republicans are voicing skepticism about this plan. There are questions about which bill would move first, and some lawmakers don't support the idea of separating DHS funding into two different bills.
What's Next: Lawmakers aren't scheduled to return to session until mid-April. Reconciliation is a multistep process, and several questions will have to be resolved, including whether the bill will be limited to ICE and CBP funding, or if other GOP priorities could be tacked on.
What Happened: The Senate overwhelmingly passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act in March, targeting the nationwide housing shortage through development incentives, reduced regulatory barriers and restrictions on corporate investors.
The Catch: The Senate bill must be reconciled with a housing bill that passed the House of Representatives in February, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which diverges on a number of key issues.
Roadblocks: House Speaker Mike Johnson has signaled the two chambers may need to meet in a formal conference to resolve disagreements between the two bills. The Senate bill faces significant opposition from the House Freedom Caucus, a group of far-right conservative legislators. President Trump has backed the legislation, but with caveats, and is staying quiet.
Takeaways: The housing bill poses a significant opportunity for bipartisan legislation to become law this year, affecting future homeowners and addressing concerns about affordability. But differences between the Senate and the House, and the fact that President Trump has not made this issue a top priority, are significant challenges that could sink the entire effort.
What's Next: Lawmakers will need to reconcile competing provisions, either through informal negotiations or a formal conference committee.
The Latest: As the war against Iran continues, global energy markets remain significantly impacted and investor confidence continues to decrease.
Pressure Points: The conflict has removed as many as 20 million barrels of oil per day from global supply, driving energy costs sharply higher. Oil price spikes are feeding directly into domestic inflation concerns. A prolonged conflict could deepen the damage to supply chains and trade routes that American businesses depend on.
What's Next: There are conflicting accounts about discussions to end the conflict, with tense diplomatic talks underway between the US, Israel, Iran, and other regional actors. President Trump has signaled openness to a final deal while also threatening to escalate the conflict. He has also said he is considering pulling the United States out of NATO after the conflict ends, due to the group's refusal to help the U.S. during this conflict. However, this would require Senate approval.
