The House Ethics Committee found Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of 25 ethics violations related to the misuse of $5 million in federal pandemic relief funds, following a rare public hearing and a three-year investigation. Despite her denial of wrongdoing and ongoing federal criminal charges, the committee plans to hold a disciplinary hearing after the House’s spring recess, with potential sanctions ranging from censure to expulsion. House Republicans have strongly pushed for her removal, signaling a contentious battle over her future in Congress.
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The Senate approved a bill to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection, continuing a partial government shutdown centered on immigration enforcement funding. The bill aims to restore funding for key agencies like TSA and FEMA amid operational challenges, including TSA staffing shortages and long airport security lines, prompting President Trump to order emergency payments for TSA workers. While Democrats praised the bill for excluding immigration enforcement funding without reforms, House Republican leaders criticized it and have yet to commit to advancing the measure, leaving the shutdown unresolved.
President Donald Trump announced he will sign an executive order to restart pay for TSA officers amid a DHS funding lapse that has caused staffing shortages and airport delays. The shutdown results from a congressional deadlock over DHS funding, with Republicans proposing a bill excluding ICE enforcement and Democrats demanding reforms before agreeing to fund ICE operations. In response, Senator John Kennedy plans to introduce a bill to fund the TSA independently, though it is unclear if Senate GOP leadership will support this measure.
President Donald Trump faces significant obstacles in advancing the U.S. military campaign against Iran due to uncertain congressional support and growing public opposition, with lawmakers demanding clearer justification and strategy. The conflict has also triggered economic repercussions, including stock market declines and soaring oil and gasoline prices, while Trump downplays these issues and temporarily halts attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure. Concurrently, the administration is embroiled in controversies over election security, proposing ICE monitoring at polling places and facing criticism over Trump’s own mail-in voting, highlighting internal tensions ahead of the midterm elections.
A Senate amendment requiring photo identification for voting failed to advance after a 53-47 vote, amid heated debate over the broader SAVE America Act, which seeks to impose stricter voter ID and citizenship verification measures. Democrats opposed the amendment, citing concerns about voter access and ballot secrecy, while Republicans argued it was necessary for election integrity and reflected public opinion favoring voter ID laws. Additional election-related controversies include fears of ICE presence at polling places and a lawsuit demanding transparency over a voter data sharing agreement involving Social Security Administration staff, highlighting ongoing tensions ahead of the 2026 midterms.
The House Ethics Committee will hold a rare public hearing to investigate Democratic Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida for allegedly misappropriating $5 million in federal pandemic relief funds and using some of the money to finance her 2022 congressional campaign. Cherfilus-McCormick denies the charges, which include theft, money laundering, and illegal campaign contributions, stemming from an indictment related to overpayments made to her family’s company holding a FEMA contract. The bipartisan committee will determine if she violated House rules, with potential penalties including censure or expulsion, despite her legal team's request to delay and close the hearing until her criminal trial concludes.
The Department of Homeland Security shutdown has entered its 41st day, causing severe delays at TSA checkpoints and increasing pressure on Senate lawmakers to reach a funding agreement before their upcoming recess. Negotiations remain deadlocked over funding and reform of ICE, with Republicans opposing Democratic demands for immigration enforcement reforms and Democrats insisting on them as part of any DHS funding deal. Meanwhile, internal GOP divisions and calls from former President Trump to end the filibuster complicate efforts to pass a resolution, leaving the shutdown unresolved as the Senate prepares for another vote.
As the U.S. military campaign in Iran nears one month, bipartisan lawmakers have expressed frustration over the administration’s lack of clear strategy, objectives, and transparency regarding funding, with the Pentagon preparing to request an additional $200 billion to support operations. Congressional officials criticized the absence of definitive answers on the war’s goals and the potential deployment of ground troops, a move some view as a “red line” that could jeopardize support. Despite the White House’s claims of ongoing briefings and commitment to dismantling Iran’s military capabilities, lawmakers continue to demand more detailed information amid escalating costs and strategic uncertainty.