WASHINGTON—Senator John Kennedy says he’s introducing two bills that would withhold paychecks from members of Congress for the duration of the government shutdown.
On the Senate floor Wednesday, the Louisiana Republican said he has “heard a lot of rumors” about being close to an agreement but doesn’t believe they are close.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/SenJohnKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenJohnKennedy</a> said he’s bringing 2 shutdown related bills to withhold Congressional paychecks.
He believes we’re going to be in a shutdown “a while longer.”
&#8211; First bill that says as long as we are shut down, members of Congress can’t be paid and they WON’T be… <a href="https://t.co/VkFXT835JM">pic.twitter.com/VkFXT835JM</a>
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1986166517143326730?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Senator said he was hopeful they are, but said he thinks “we&#8217;re going to be in shut down a while longer.” The shutdown hits Day 37 on Thursday.
In the meantime, he filed two bills: the “<a href="https://www.kennedy.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/b/e/beb75d63-916c-4e57-8f1e-2195e5a1c87c/93E308F7D0DD8CA7FC401D74C99AB562F4E869F662D0E6B5746A4EE32C24E954.no-shutdown-paychecks-to-politicians-act.pdf">No Shutdown Paychecks to Politicians Act</a>” and the “<a href="https://www.kennedy.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/6/a/6aa27778-56b0-40b8-b5ac-dd239c55d24f/299BB68CC4F995B9B3C878D1C2629A6C03DA3FDC6BF2235C8C6BFDD621634984.bills-119s3057is.pdf">Withhold Member Pay During Shutdowns Act.&#8221;</a>
The first bill would cut pay for members of Congress during a government shutdown — with no back pay.
The second bill would withhold their salaries during the shutdown by placing the funds in escrow, allowing full payment to be released once the government reopens, he explained.
“Some may say, &#8216;well, this violates the 27th Amendment.&#8217; I don&#8217;t think it does. That&#8217;s why I&#8217;m offering two different flavors of bills,” he explained.
In 2013, President Barack Obama supported similar legislation during a previous shutdown that said &#8220;if you don&#8217;t open up government by this certain date then you&#8217;re going to lose your paychecks,&#8221; according to Kennedy.
“And guess what — members of Congress had an epiphany and they found religion…and they opened up government,&#8221; Kennedy said.
Kennedy previously filed other bills to require the federal government to pay both <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00585.htm">federal employees</a> and <a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00575.htm">military personnel</a> during the shutdown. All were rejected.
On the floor, he said federal workers have &#8220;had to borrow $365 million so far during this 36-day shutdown in order just to pay their rent.&#8221;
“If we can’t do our jobs and fund the government, we don’t deserve a paycheck — plain and simple,” Kennedy said in a statement.
He said he, unlike his Democratic colleagues, doesn&#8217;t see missing paychecks or empty dinner plates &#8220;as leverage.&#8221;
&#8220;That’s why I’ve been working to make sure that only members of Congress feel the pain of a shutdown,&#8221; Kennedy said.
Kennedy was referring to a previous FOX News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-republican-slams-katherine-clark-saying-dems-have-leverage-shutdown">report</a> where House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) admitted suffering families are &#8220;leverage&#8221; in the shutdown battle.
&#8220;I mean, shutdowns are terrible and, of course, there will be, you know, families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously. But it is one of the few leverage times we have,&#8221; Clark said at the time.
Kennedy said his bills “ensure Congress feels the same pain as the folks we’re failing to pay – our troops, air traffic controllers, and federal workers.”
We will continue to monitor Kennedy&#8217;s bills if they advance.

Sen. Cotton Holds Capitol Hill Press Conference To Discuss Ongoing College Campus Protests

GOP Senator Moves To Withhold Congressional Pay, Believes Shutdown Will Go ‘A While Longer’

Congress

Government Shutdown

John Kennedy

WASHINGTON—Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s office confirmed to The Daily Wire that he continues to support the filibuster and his position remains “unchanged&#8221; by President Donald Trump&#8217;s call to abandon the filibuster as the government shutdown hits day 31.
On Thursday night, Trump took to <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1984233772871516162">Truth Social</a> to urge Republicans to use the so-called “nuclear option.”
The president praised Republican leaders, saying Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson are doing a “GREAT job, but the Democrats are Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY.”
“It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” Trump said.
The filibuster requires 60 votes to end debate on most legislation before it can proceed to a final vote.
The ongoing government shutdown has dragged on because Republicans hold only 53 seats, leaving them short of the 60 votes needed to advance the House-passed <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371">continuing resolution,</a> which would reopen the government. So far, the closest vote has been 55 — just five short of the threshold.
Trump said he believes if Democrats ever came back into power, they would end the filibuster “in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it.”
However, not everyone agrees ending the filibuster is the solution.
On October 10, Thune explained why he opposed eliminating it:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FLASHBACK: Here is <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a> prev. comments from 10/10 where he explained why he is AGAINST getting rid of the filibuster:
&#8220;The filibuster protects..&#8221;
This morning, Thune&#8217;s office confirmed his position is &#8220;unchanged.&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> <a href="https://t.co/LfpQo9Z2sI">pic.twitter.com/LfpQo9Z2sI</a>
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1984269430319403481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
Thune said the “supermajority requirement is something that makes the Senate the Senate,” adding that without it, “there’s a whole lot of bad things could have been done by the other side.”
“The 60-vote threshold has protected this country and frankly, that&#8217;s what I think this last election was largely about because if the Democrats had won the majority, they probably would have tried to nuke the filibuster,&#8221; Thune said.
He added that Democrats had &#8220;six or seven things that they were going to do&#8221; when they attempted to nuke  the filibuster.
In 2022, Democrats attempted to eliminate the filibuster, but former independent Senators Joe Manchin (WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) voted with Republicans to keep it.
&#8220;And then you&#8217;d have four new U.S. Senators from Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, you&#8217;d have a packed Supreme Court, you&#8217;d have abortion on demand — a whole bunch of things that were on that laundry list,&#8221; Thune said.
The Senate Majority Leader said he believes the filibuster “protects” and has been &#8220;a voice for the minority.&#8221;
“It gives the minority a say in what happens in this country. The founders created the Senate, uniquely that way, for that specific reason,&#8221; Thune said.
Through the entire standoff, Thune has maintained his position, calling on Democrats to join Republicans to end the shutdown.
“It&#8217;s just really not that complicated. All it takes is a little backbone, a little courage on behalf of five Democrats to do what they have done and what we&#8217;ve done for decades when it comes to funding the government,&#8221; he added.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso’s spokeswoman confirmed to The Daily Wire that his support of the filibuster is “unchanged” as well.
Barrasso previously appeared on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwKliF4llDI&amp;t=151s">Fox &amp; Friends</a> and said there “aren’t the Republicans that would want to support it.”
“The Democrats would love for us to do that. They tried to do it last time because they wanted to add D.C. and Puerto Rico as states with more Democrat senators. They wanted to expand the Supreme Court from 9 to 13, and they wanted to get rid of voter ID, so that’s not something that we’re going to entertain,” Barrasso said.
Thune told Daily Wire editor emeritus <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEGCgwjIyMU">Ben Shapiro</a> last week that everything is “harder than it should be” right now, but he believes rank-and-file Democrats will eventually break from leadership and reopen the government.
“I just think we ought to be able to do this the old fashioned way and that is open up the government by just having five more Democrats vote with us and that’s all it’s going to take,” Thune said.
“We don’t need to end the filibuster,&#8221; Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton <a href="https://x.com/SenTomCotton/status/1982925568929870208">said</a> on Oct. 27 on Fox News. &#8220;We need five more Democrats to come to their senses and open the government. Senate Republicans will not be baited by nonsensical Democrat demands.”
When asked about the filibuster Friday, Speaker Johnson said his opinion is “not relevant.”
“I don‘t have a say in this. It is a Senate chamber issue. We do not have that in the House. But, the filibuster has traditionally has been viewed as a very important safeguard,” Johnson said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NOW: <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> on Trump calling on Republicans to nuke the filibuster:
&#8220;I don‘t have a say in this. It is a Senate chamber issue. We do not have that in the House. But, the filibuster has traditionally has been viewed as a very important safeguard&#8230;&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> <a href="https://t.co/FukEMWBYQD">pic.twitter.com/FukEMWBYQD</a>
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1984267886056329562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
With Senate Republican leaders united in support of the filibuster, the only way out of the shutdown appears to be for Senate Democrats to vote on the continuing resolution to reopen the government. The longer they delay, the more Republicans are ramping up their offense.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee launched a digital <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLK9yJb4iTrcO6YUVTI9LmadUP3X3ZlnpS" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list%3DPLK9yJb4iTrcO6YUVTI9LmadUP3X3ZlnpS&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762021378466000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2D5Rv15c9wp3Gcd8ligTUb">ad campaign</a> Friday targeting Senate Democrat incumbents and Democrat challengers for “fighting to give free healthcare to illegal aliens over feeding American families.&#8221;
The NRSC slammed Democrats for voting to keep the government closed 13 times. It said “Schumer’s Shutdown is threatening to end SNAP assistance this week for <a href="https://e.nrsc.org/t/j-i-ydojrjt-l-j/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.nrsc.org/t/j-i-ydojrjt-l-j/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762021378466000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Bs2A-lJvmXANBJdM_H-mL">42 million Americans</a> who rely on it to feed their families,&#8221; the group <a href="https://www.nrsc.org/press-releases/nrsc-ad-blitz-targets-battleground-democrats-for-pushing-free-healthcare-for-illegals-over-feeding-american-families-2025-10-31/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nrsc.org/press-releases/nrsc-ad-blitz-targets-battleground-democrats-for-pushing-free-healthcare-for-illegals-over-feeding-american-families-2025-10-31/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1762021378466000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0P1608QsaYCM-9mO69D3SE">said</a> in a press release.
“Democrats are pandering to the far Left, and voters won’t forget it in 2026,” NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez said.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD)

Senate Leader’s Stance On Filibuster Remains ‘Unchanged’ As Trump Pushes ‘Nuclear Option’

Donald Trump

Filibuster

John Thune

Senate Democrats

WASHINGTON—House Majority Whip Tom Emmer says that most Americans have not yet felt the brunt of the government shutdown. But, as the fight hits its 30-day mark, the Minnesota Republican warns: “this is the week it begins.”
“Democrats have caused a shutdown which is causing significant pain,” Emmer told The Daily Wire in an exclusive interview.
“Air traffic controllers didn&#8217;t get their first paycheck. More federal workers will not get a paycheck on Friday. SNAP benefits will lapse, in many states, unless they&#8217;ve got a governor who&#8217;s trying to figure out a way to fill the gap, 42 million low income Americans are going to be without their SNAP benefits because of this shutdown — caused solely by Democrats,” Emmer said.
The Department of Agriculture issued a <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/">statement</a> ahead of the looming November 1 deadline for funding for food stamps, saying that “Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).&#8221;
&#8220;Bottom line, the well has run dry,&#8221; the USDA statement says. &#8220;At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01.”
“It’s only going to get worse,” Emmer said, adding that the shutdown is causing “significant pain.”
Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1983966640535421421">reported</a> that Vice President JD Vance, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and aviation leaders held a press conference on Thursday, warning of major travel delays.
“A lot of our [air travel workers] can go through the miss of one paycheck &#8211; and it&#8217;s hard for them &#8230; none of them can get through two paychecks. If Democrats don&#8217;t get their act together very quickly, you&#8217;re going to see huge problems,” Duffy <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1983968180306637304">said</a>.
CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/30/government-shutdown-delta-air-traffic-controllers.html">reported</a> Delta and United Airlines urged senators to pass the clean continuing resolution on Thursday.
“Missed paychecks only increases the stress on these essential workers, many of whom are already working mandatory overtime to keep our skies safe and secure,&#8221; the company reportedly said.
The military is feeling the effects of the shutdown as well.
Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger (R-Texas), a veteran, joined The Ben Shapiro Show on Thursday to <a href="https://x.com/RepublicanStudy/status/1983958850341306596">explain</a> how the government shutdown is impacting military readiness while putting financial strain on families who depend on their paychecks for rent, food, and other essentials.
On the Senate floor Thursday, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace begins in two days, and claimed Republicans have “spent the entire shutdown with their heads in the sand — the shutdown they caused — because they would not negotiate with Democrats.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a>: &#8220;Republicans have spent the entire shutdown with their heads in the sand &#8211; the shutdown they caused &#8211; because they would not negotiate with Democrats…&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/eW0FxCklJm">pic.twitter.com/eW0FxCklJm</a>
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1983913147925754113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
Schumer has <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/1975316482189107417">repeatedly</a> blamed Republicans for the shutdown and said they have control of the House, Senate, and White House.
Emmer said he believes Democrats have been “lying” about the shutdown since day one and noted there is a filibuster that needs 60 votes to pass off the floor. Given there are 53 Republicans, seven Democrats are needed to reopen the government.
On Wednesday, Democrats attempted to pass a funding bill for SNAP; however, Senate Majority Leader John Thune objected and demanded Democrats reopen the government.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“YOU VOTED NO 13 TIMES!”: <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderJohnThune?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeaderJohnThune</a> is fired up on the Senate floor and objected to Sen. Lujan’s bill to fund SNAP food stamps and WIC nutrition programs.
“The senator from New Mexico is absolutely right, SNAP recipients shouldn’t go without food. People should be getting… <a href="https://t.co/aVWnRFnwO8">pic.twitter.com/aVWnRFnwO8</a>
— Amber Jo Cooper (@AmberJoCooper) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1983634998746927500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
Thune said the bill was a “cynical attempt to provide political cover for Democrats, to allow them to carry on their government shutdown for the long-term.”
“They [Democrats] are directly responsible for any interruption of SNAP benefits. And the idea that this can be paid out of here, this can be paid out of there. Look, why don&#8217;t they just vote for the clean CR?” Emmer said.
It&#8217;s clear that Republicans are united behind the same message: the government must reopen.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has <a href="https://x.com/hakeemjeffries/status/1982965467385082093">repeatedly</a> said that House Republicans are on “vacation.&#8221; However, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said the House has “done its work” in passing the continuing resolution a month ago.
Emmer said Republicans have been “working their tail off” in their districts while the Democrats “shut the government down.”
He said their offices are taking calls from constituents and they are trying to help them with “frankly, with a lot of problems that are being caused by the Democratic shutdown.”
“If [Jeffries] thinks we&#8217;re on vacation or he thinks more importantly that Democrat senators walking over to the Senate floor once a week, twice a week, and voting ‘no’ is ‘working.’ Well, that&#8217;s why he&#8217;s in the minority,” Emmer said.
He said that one way to see whose fault the shutdown is &#8211; would be to look at the mainstream media.
“How do you know that the Democrats are responsible for the shutdown? It should be the headline on every paper around the country. If it was Republicans that were responsible, it would be. But it hasn&#8217;t been &#8211; for 29 days,” Emmer said.
The Senate adjourned on Thursday until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 3. Another vote is expected to potentially reopen the government next week.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN)

House GOP Whip Warns Americans: The Shutdown Is ‘Only Going To Get Worse’

Airlines

Chuck Schumer

Food Stamps

House GOP

A health insurance giant gave half a million dollars to Governor Gavin Newsom’s Ballot Measure Committee, a driving force behind a controversial redistricting effort that would give Democrats even more seats in California.
Blue Shield of California has <a href="https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1010653&amp;view=contributions">donated</a> $500,000 to the committee, which backs the “Yes on 50” effort. Californians will vote next week on <a href="https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/quick-reference-guide/50.htm">Proposition 50</a>, which would likely give Democrats five additional seats in Congress.
Reached for comment, Blue Shield of California denied supporting Proposition 50, claiming its donation was not intended for a particular ballot initiative and that it routinely makes bipartisan donations. But Proposition 50  is the <a href="https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures/qualified-ballot-measures">only measure</a> on the ballot in California this year.
It’s not surprising that Blue Shield of California would support Proposition 50. The company has called on Congress to extend COVID-era Obamacare subsidies — a $350 billion proposal at the center of the government shutdown debate. Five additional seats would give Democrats the leverage they need to extend these subsidies in the future — ensuring insurance giants continued access to federal funds.
Blue Shield of California claims that it has no position on Proposition 50. But the records tell a different story. 
The company made two payments of $250,000 — one on April 24 and another on July 16, according to the California Secretary of State’s <a href="https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov/Campaign/Committees/Detail.aspx?id=1010653&amp;view=contributions">website</a>. California <a href="https://cadem.org/yes-on-proposition-50-faq/">Democrats</a> describe Proposition 50 as “a direct response to a Republican power grab orchestrated by President Trump and state leaders in Texas, who redrew Congressional district lines to gain five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
Blue Shield of California told The Daily Wire that it has neither made contributions to Proposition 50 nor taken a position on the measure. After The Daily Wire sent Blue Shield receipts of the contributions to Newsom’s Ballot Measure Committee, and pointed out that the official California <a href="https://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/quick-reference-guide/50.htm">voter guide</a> lists “Governor Newsom’s Ballot Measure Committee” under the “For” section of Proposition 50, it said the donations came before Newsom’s intentions were known. 
The company said it “made its contributions in April and July 2025 — months before the Governor announced his redistricting initiative or amended the committee to support Proposition 50.”
A look at the Proposition 50 timeline belies that claim. 
On July 3, the <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/03/redistricting-texas-california-democrats-retaliation-trump-newsom/">Texas Tribune</a> reported that people in Newsom’s orbit had signaled his willingness to counter any redistricting in Texas with a similar move in California to offset potential Republican gains. On July 9, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott <a href="https://redistricting.capitol.texas.gov/2020s_timeline">announced</a> a special session that included redistricting legislation.
Blue Shield of California made its second contribution a week later. On August 14, Newsom officially announced a special election for the ballot measure. 
Given that Blue Shield of California has not taken a public position on Proposition 50, and claims it has not donated to the measure, The Daily Wire asked which ballot initiative it believed it was supporting when contributing to“Governor Newsom’s Ballot Measure Committee, and whether they were concerned their donation was being used for the “Yes on 50” campaign.
The company did not respond to the follow-up question. 
In its initial response, Blue Shield noted that it regularly makes bipartisan political contributions to “advance our mission of delivering high-quality, affordable health care for all Californians.”
Again, a closer look at Blue Shield’s donations casts doubt on that claim.
The two $250,000 contributions to Newsom’s initiative were by far the largest this year, with dozens of other contributions ranging from $1,900 to $50,000. Among them, the company donated $50,000 to the California Democratic Party and $20,000 to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &amp; Transgender Caucus Leadership Fund, which primarily <a href="https://www.transparencyusa.org/ca/committee/lgbt-lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-caucus-leadership-fund-1339123-rcp/payees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supports</a> Democratic candidates.
In June, the Blue Shield of California Foundation <a href="https://blueshieldcafoundation.org/grants/faqs">awarded</a> the governor’s office a $200,000 grant for an “evaluation design for the California Racial Equity Commission framework.” The foundation is funded “entirely by contributions from Blue Shield of California,” their website states.
About three weeks after making the second donation, Blue Shield of California <a href="https://news.blueshieldca.com/2025/08/05/blue-shield-of-california-joins-more-than-25-national-health-groups-to-urge-leaders-in-congress-to-extend-affordable-care-act-tax-credits">called</a> on Congress to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, which are currently at the center of the ongoing government shutdown.
Obamacare tax credits lower the monthly premiums people pay for coverage in state and federal Marketplaces, according to <a href="https://news.blueshieldca.com/2025/08/05/blue-shield-of-california-joins-more-than-25-national-health-groups-to-urge-leaders-in-congress-to-extend-affordable-care-act-tax-credits">Blue Shield</a>. The Marketplace sends the tax credits directly to insurance companies, according to its <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/about-the-aca/index.html">website</a>.
These tax credits have always been available to the poorest Americans. But during the coronavirus pandemic, Congress temporarily expanded eligibility for these subsidies. The extended credits were set to expire this year. Democrats’ fight to make them permanent — a move the Congressional Budget Office says would cost $350 billion over a decade — led to what, as of this writing, is the second-longest government shutdown in history.
In an August 5 <a href="https://news.blueshieldca.com/2025/08/05/blue-shield-of-california-joins-more-than-25-national-health-groups-to-urge-leaders-in-congress-to-extend-affordable-care-act-tax-credits">letter</a>, Blue Shield of California warned that if Congress fails to extend the credit, “the cost of health insurance will skyrocket, with typical American families forced to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars more each month to keep their coverage.”
Blue Shield reported that its premiums will <a href="https://www.blueshieldca.com/content/dam/bsca/en/broker/docs/2026/ifp/2026-Rate-information-for-non-grandfathered-medical-plans.pdf">increase</a> by an average of 9.3% in 2026. In 2025, the company reported its premiums <a href="https://www.blueshieldca.com/content/dam/bsca/en/broker/docs/2024/ifp/2025-IFP-Rate-Disclosure.pdf">increased</a> by an average of 8%. 
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told The Daily Wire that Democrats are “holding the American people hostage over free health care for illegal aliens and bailouts for insurance companies.”
“And now, these same insurance companies, who are complaining that they need billions in taxpayer bailouts while they raise premiums on struggling families, are turning around and spending half a million dollars to fund Gavin Newsom’s political ambitions instead of decreasing the premiums they chose to increase,” Scalise said.
“We strongly support the extension of the advanced premium tax credits to protect our members&#8217; access to affordable health care,” Blue Shield told The Daily Wire.
Brittany Madni, Executive Vice President of the Economic Policy Innovation Center, told The Daily Wire that it is “no surprise Blue Shield of California doesn’t want to admit to their role in this subsidy scam.”
“I’m not sure what’s worse: outright contributing half a million dollars to Governor Newsom’s Prop 50 campaign or blindly handing it over to use in his slush fund,” Madni said.
Madni said the company is “playing the game Obamacare set the rules for while American patients can neither afford nor access care.”
More than half of likely voters are expected to vote for Proposition 50, a poll <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/29/poll-most-californians-vote-yes-proposition-50-00625982">released</a> this week found. On Tuesday, Newsom announced they had raised enough money to pass Proposition 50 and <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5577459-newsom-urges-donors-stop-prop50/">told</a> supporters, “You can stop donating.”

Untitled design (56)

A Health Insurance Giant Quietly Bankrolls Gavin Newsom’s Partisan Power Grab

California

Gavin Newsom

Health Insurance

Obamacare

Redistricting

WASHINGTON—Daily Wire Host Michael Knowles called for the federal government to &#8220;stop the consistent and accelerating trend of leftist terrorism&#8221; at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Daily Wire’s <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@michaeljknowles</a> appears before the United States Senate to expose what Democrats refuse to confront, the rise of left wing political violence. <a href="https://t.co/DbENR3dySX">https://t.co/DbENR3dySX</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1983239105140986267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Opening Tuesday’s hearing, Subcommittee on the Constitution Chair Eric Schmitt (R-MO) warned that for the past 15 months, political violence “has been a constant fact of American life.”
&#8220;We&#8217;ve seen assassinations. We&#8217;ve seen murder. We&#8217;ve seen death. None of this is random. It&#8217;s organized, coordinated political terror,” Schmitt said.
The hearing comes just two months after Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk was murdered by a leftist assassin while speaking at a campus event in Utah. Knowles, a friend of Kirk&#8217;s, <a href="https://x.com/michaeljknowles/status/1968365304893030812">announced</a> that Turning Point’s college tour would continue after the tragedy, and he, along with several other conservative speakers, vowed to carry on the mission.
The chairman said he believes the people behind the violence are “determined militant extremists who wield violence for political ends.”
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We must confront the threat of left-wing extremism.
For the past two years, America has been plagued by arsons, bombings, armed ambushes, assaults, violent riots, mass shootings and assassinations.
None of this is random. It is organized, coordinated political terror. <a href="https://t.co/TZkmWQ3nMi">pic.twitter.com/TZkmWQ3nMi</a>
— Senator Eric Schmitt (@SenEricSchmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenEricSchmitt/status/1983259140177666266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In addition to Kirk&#8217;s assassination, Schmitt invoked the two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump’s life, the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and a slew of arsons, bombings, armed ambushes, assaults, sniper attacks, mass shootings, riots, and violent mobs.
“We are faced with only two paths: Either we confront this political violence and end it, or it will end us,” Schmitt said.
Ranking member Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) said he is “absolutely horrified by political violence in this country” and “unequivocally” condemned Kirk’s murder, but cautioned against debating whether there was more political violence &#8220;on one side or the other.&#8221;
In his opening statement, Knowles blasted Welch for suggesting that we “not try to pinpoint exactly which side the violence comes from.”
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@michaeljknowles</a> calls out <a href="https://twitter.com/SenPeterWelch?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenPeterWelch</a> for saying it&#8217;s unproductive to point out that political violence is a left-wing problem:
&#8220;This seems to me confusing and misbegotten as one cannot solve a problem if one does not know where the problem lies.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/CsM7tQZnPr">pic.twitter.com/CsM7tQZnPr</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1983259013983973673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“This seems to me confusing and misbegotten as one cannot solve a problem if one does not know where the problem lies,” Knowles said.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@michaeljknowles</a> testifies before the U.S. Senate regarding a left-wing attack on his speaking event at the University of Pittsburgh in 2023:
&#8220;I think we should all be able to agree that throwing an explosive at&#8230;people is no mere minor indiscretion&#8230;That&#8217;s attempted… <a href="https://t.co/RgCavh02Bm">pic.twitter.com/RgCavh02Bm</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1983257094267572518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“In light of the murder of my friend Charlie Kirk by a leftist assassin, I am gratified to see that at least some members of our federal legislature are now confronting the consistent and escalating pattern of left-wing terrorism in the country,” Knowles said.
Knowles cited a September 23 Atlantic article which, citing a recent study from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, admitted &#8220;that the Left is more violent today than the right.&#8221;
&#8220;Less honest liberals, including members of Congress, continue to deny this fact. Democrat Congressman Seth Moulton, for example, reacted to Charlie’s assassination by blaming the right,&#8221; Knowles said.
Knowles cited examples of left-wing political violence, including a personal experience from April 2023 when he was invited to participate in a debate at the University of Pittsburgh on the topic of transgenderism.
He said several hundred left-wing protesters, many dressed in black, gathered to oppose his appearance.
“They lit the street on fire while burning me in effigy with a little Hitler mustache painted on my face. All because I hold the view, as most Americans do, that men cannot become women,” Knowles said.
He said an “Antifa operative” rolled smoke bombs under police barricades and then threw a lit firework into police officers — injuring several.
They were forced to end the debate early, Knowles said.
“Despite popular efforts to deny the existence of organized left-wing terrorism, Brian and Krystal DiPippa were not merely two citizens protesting a speaker with whom they disagreed. Things just got a little out of hand. No. They are members of an extremist cell,” Knowles said.
Knowles said everyone should be able to agree that throwing an explosive at a group of people is “no mere minor indiscretion.”
The Torch Antifa network has claimed the DiPippas as members, Knowles said, noting they &#8220;raised money for them through a tax-exempt nonprofit organization.&#8221;
“That is a very serious crime. That&#8217;s attempted murder, the kind of crime that merits life in prison,” Knowles said.
But, he explained, Brian DiPippa was only <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/pittsburgh-couple-sentenced-obstructing-law-enforcement-during-campus-protest">sentenced</a> to jail time. His wife Krystal was sentenced to probation.
“The federal government must act now to stop the consistent and accelerating trend of leftist terrorism,” Knowles said.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced Daniel Hodges — a police officer who responded to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
Hodges said he believed the press release sent out ahead of the meeting from the chair “made it clear this was not going to be an honest consideration of various causes and effects, but rather a ham-fisted attempt to propagate the unsupported notion that liberal ideology is the greatest origin of modern political violence.”
He added that the hearing was “galling” to him “since every single member of the majority on the subcommittee has either contributed to one of the most infamous examples of conservative political violence of our age or the protection of its perpetrators.”
“Every majority member who could do so voted to acquit Donald Trump during a second impeachment, and now we find ourselves in a new horrific age of political violence,” Hodges said.
In a subsequent exchange, Knowles insisted that “any honest Democrat even would have to acknowledge, as the Atlantic magazine did, as even CSIS has acknowledged, that the threats today to the free marketplace of ideas come from the Left.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenEricSchmitt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenEricSchmitt</a>: How do we solve the problem of increased political violence? <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@michaeljknowles</a>: &#8220;You can&#8217;t have a marketplace if bandits keep shooting up the marketplace&#8230;We must regulate where the problem is, and today the problem lies on the Left.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/Pdsl8NAKfs">pic.twitter.com/Pdsl8NAKfs</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1983261714608254996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“And so, in order to restore the open marketplace of ideas, the healthy exchange of ideas essential to our self-government, we must regulate where the problem is, and today the problem lies on the left,” Knowles said.
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) questioned Knowles about the violence against “people of faith.”
Hawley, who said he was friends with Kirk, described him as “incredibly bold” in speaking about his faith.
“You can’t tell me that that did not play into the reason he was killed,” Hawley said.
He asked Knowles about the reason for the &#8220;uptick&#8221; in violence.
“Cardinal Manning wisely observed that all human conflict ultimately is theological &#8211; a lot of our big policy debates in recent years have really been anthropological and religious in nature,” Knowles said.
Knowles said the attacks on churches, which he called “widespread and increasing” have been “underreported and ignored &#8211; in some cases entirely.”
During the hearing, lawmakers also discussed potential steps to address political violence going forward.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said he introduced the “Stop FUNDERs Act” which he said would add rioting as a predicate offense to RICO, to “enable the Department of Justice to use the full tools that have been directed at the mafia to go after the corrupt enterprise.”
Former acting United States Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf endorsed the bill during the hearing.
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My Stop FUNDERs Act will give the DOJ the tools it needs to go after the financiers of left-wing violence.
I’m glad to see Mr. Wolf joining <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBIDirectorKash</a> Patel and a growing chorus of law enforcement professionals in endorsing this legislation. <a href="https://t.co/BUPynxBmCq">pic.twitter.com/BUPynxBmCq</a>
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTedCruz/status/1983324505591410690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) also made a brief appearance.
“When we hold hearings that come at this issue that reflects the partisanship of our time and the tribalism of our time, we don&#8217;t get to a solution. We are in a crisis right now and there is growing political violence and a glowing justification for it,” Booker said.
Booker admitted there is political violence including “extremists who have left wing ideologies and right-wing ideologies &#8211; to say it&#8217;s just one and not the other is to deepen the problem.”
“The only thing that&#8217;s going to get us out of this condition is for courageous leaders, in both parties to start standing up and extending grace — and self introspection,” Booker said.
Although Booker left the hearing early, Knowles said he made a good point about being &#8220;introspective,&#8221; then brought up Booker’s endorsement of Jay Jones.
Jones, a Democrat running to be the next Attorney General of Virginia, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-them-virginia-dem-sent-shocking-texts-about-killing-gop-leader-pissing-on-graves">fantasized</a> about murdering a state Republican leader with “two bullets to the head” and “piss[ing]” on the graves of other Republicans.
Knowles observed that Booker, &#8220;in the spirit of introspection, is standing by this endorsement,&#8221; having already left the room.
“Senator Booker should practice what he preaches,&#8221; Knowles said. &#8220;So long as anyone stands by an endorsement such as that, their words are meaningless, they’re shedding crocodile tears on the topic of political violence.&#8221;
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Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/SenBooker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBooker</a>, we know you left the room early, so we wanted to make sure you heard this from <a href="https://twitter.com/michaeljknowles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@michaeljknowles</a>:
Sen. Booker endorses a man who called for the murder of a Republican and his children&#8230;
&#8220;So long as anyone stands by an endorsement such as that, their words are… <a href="https://t.co/QDUM5OStYw">pic.twitter.com/QDUM5OStYw</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1983269416952311901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Following the hearing, Knowles said he was “grateful” to Schmitt and the members who attended the hearing — noting that Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) didn’t attend.
“He couldn’t make the time while his side is promoting political violence,&#8221; Knowles said.
“Senator Booker made it in and then ran away as quickly as he possibly could, which makes sense because he is endorsing a man for Attorney General of Virginia who calls for murdering Republicans and their kids,” he added.
“I think the crocodile tears from the Democrats were preposterous,&#8221; Knowles added. &#8220;They were doing everything they could to avoid accepting the blame that sits squarely with them.&#8221;
Still, Knowles said he thought the hearing was &#8220;productive, because I think it showed the American people where the problem really lies.&#8221;

MK-Testifies

‘The Problem Lies On The Left’: Michael Knowles Brings The Heat To Senate Political Violence Hearing

Charlie Kirk

Cory Booker

Daily Wire

Michael Knowles

Political Violence

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Ted Cruz

WASHINGTON—The largest union of federal employees is pushing for an end to the government shutdown, dealing a major blow to Democrats as the funding fight drags on.
The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 800,000 federal workers, on Monday <a href="https://www.afge.org/article/its-past-time-to-end-this-shutdown/">urged</a> the Senate to approve a “clean” continuing resolution to end the stalemate. The union, usually a dependable Democratic <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-aligned-union-breaks-ranks-demands-end-to-govt-shutdown?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Dem-Aligned+Union+Breaks+Ranks%2C+Demands+End+To+Govt+Shutdown">stalwart,</a> all but endorsed Republicans&#8217; plans to end the shutdown in a statement.
“It’s time for our leaders to start focusing on how to solve problems for the American people, rather than on who is going to get the blame for a shutdown that Americans dislike,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said, calling the shutdown “an avoidable crisis that is harming families, communities, and the very institutions that hold our country together.”
Kelley did not lay blame with either party, but did call for the Senate to pass a &#8220;clean&#8221; continuing resolution — which Republicans have called for from the beginning of the shutdown fight.
About 1.4 million federal workers missed a paycheck last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a press conference Monday morning, urging Senate Democrats to approve the House-passed continuing resolution.
Johnson added that the House had “done its work” by passing the measure a month ago.
“The Army nurse in San Antonio, the TSA officer in Atlanta, the USDA food safety inspector in Iowa, and hundreds of thousands more like them are being asked to keep our country running without the paychecks that keep their own households afloat,&#8221; Kelley said.
Kelley said the workers are &#8220;patriotic Americans – parents, caregivers, and veterans – forced to work without pay while struggling to cover rent, groceries, gas and medicine because of political disagreements in Washington. That is unacceptable.&#8221;
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said AFGE calling for an end to the shutdown “has a lot of impact,&#8221; Semafor&#8217;s Burgess Everett <a href="https://x.com/burgessev/status/1982902515013186033">reported</a> on X.
“It’s something we will be discussing this week,&#8221; Durbin told the outlet. &#8220;I’m not announcing any change in my position at this time. They&#8217;re our friends. We take them seriously.”
Bloomberg News reporter Erik Wasson <a href="https://x.com/elwasson/status/1982857696937496756">reportedly</a> asked Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) about the union’s statement, but Schumer declined to comment.
The House Freedom Caucus weighed in Monday on X, responding to an NBC report on the union’s stance.
“It’s a bad day for Chuck Schumer when even the AFGE…a union that routinely endorses and supports Democrats…sees how bizarre the Democrats’ position is,” the caucus <a href="https://x.com/freedomcaucus/status/1982858175117484057">wrote on X.</a>
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) told The Daily Wire that AFGE is “rightly calling Democrats out on their political games, and hopefully Senate Democrats will listen.”
“Lawmakers are sent to Washington to govern, but Democrats seem to think their job is to obstruct the agenda of the President of the United States and to jeopardize the livelihoods of the American people,” Emmer said.
Emmer said Americans on “both sides of the aisle are seeing right through the Democrats’ lies and they will be held accountable for their hostage tactics.”
Democrat Sen. John Fetterman (PA) said <a href="https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/1982809715831628084">on X</a> that AFGE is “firmly on the right side of this and we should absolutely listen.”
“Our servicemembers, federal workers, and Capitol Police are hurting. It’s one of many reasons why I’ve continuously voted to open our government. We need to end this chaos,” Fetterman said.
Fetterman sided with Republicans on the House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government, as did Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Angus King (I-ME).
This week, many politicians have highlighted the looming November 1 expiration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, which will affect more than 42 million people.
The SNAP <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program">website</a> currently cites Democrats for failing to reopen the government, stating, “Bottom line, the well has run dry.”
There are currently discussions of a potential bill to pay “certain” federal workers between Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), as reported by <a href="https://x.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/1982861472968376606">Punchbowl News</a>.
As of Monday evening, a spokesman for Johnson’s office confirmed talks are “ongoing.”
On the Senate floor Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1982908995909382282">claimed</a> the Trump administration is “making an intentional choice not to fund SNAP this weekend.”
“The emergency funding is there — the administration is just choosing not to use it. And for those who say the money can’t be moved around so easily, that’s a load of bunk. If the administration can cough up $40 billion for Argentina, they can find money for SNAP by this Saturday,” Schumer said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) <a href="https://x.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1982893996847555019">maintained</a> that the Senate can reopen the government this week if five “courageous” Democrats vote with them, adding there will be another opportunity to vote to reopen in the coming days.

Federal Employees Hold Rally Calling For End Of Government Shutdown

‘It’s A Bad Day For Chuck Schumer’: Dems Waver As Fed Union Calls For End To Shutdown

Federal Government

Labor Unions

Republicans on Monday introduced a bill that would sanction Chinese entities linked to Beijing’s persecution of Christians.
The “Combating the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act” aims to “strengthen America’s response to combat the CCP’s ongoing acts of religious persecution targeting Christians and other religious minorities,” a copy of the bill reviewed by The Daily Wire reads. If passed, the United States will sanction any official of the People’s Republic of China who is responsible for or has directly carried out “abuses of religious freedom.”
Abuses include “Arbitrary detention, forced sterilization, torture, forced labor, and serious restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, expression, and movement.”
Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the bill on October 27, International Religious Freedom Day. Congressman Mark Alford (R-MO) introduced the bill in the House.
The legislation comes just weeks after the Chinese Communist Party detained more than 30 pastors and staff from Zion Church, a well-known Christian house church in China. Zion Church was shut down in 2018 but re-emerged in multiple locations, NPR <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/10/12/nx-s1-5571936/zion-church-ezra-jin-arrest-china-christian">reported</a>. In response, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement condemning the detentions and calling for the immediate release of the church members.
Rubio said the incident <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/10/detention-of-zion-house-church-leaders-in-china">shows</a> how the CCP “exercises hostility towards Christians who reject Party interference in their faith and choose to worship at unregistered house churches.”
Co-sponsors of the bill in the Senate include Republican Sens. Marsha Blackburn (TN), Ashley Moody (FL), Thom Tillis (NC), and Todd Young (IN), while co-sponsors in the House include Republican Reps. Greg Steube (FL), Dan Crenshaw (TX), and Michael McCaul (TX).
In a statement, Budd said China’s “disdain for religious freedom is not new,” noting it is an “ongoing and brutal pattern of abuse that must be met with steadfast American strength.”
“As the leader of the free world, the United States must promote religious freedom around the world and hold China’s authoritarian regime responsible for decades of persecution targeting Christians and other religious minorities. The CCP’s restrictions on freedom of religion and cruelty toward religious minorities in China must come to an end,” Budd said.
Alford said the CCP “has perpetrated heinous abuses against religious groups for decades.”
He said he believes it’s time for the United States to “stand up for religious freedom in China as we have in other parts of the world.”
The bill would also bolster State Department efforts to combat the ongoing persecution of Protestant Christians, Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and other religious minorities.
A 2024 report said that the CCP “tortured, physically abused, arrested, disappeared, detained, sentenced to prison, subjected to forced indoctrination in CCP ideology, and harassed adherents of both registered and unregistered religious groups.”
On October 23, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced a resolution calling on the CCP to release the members of Zion Church and all other wrongfully detained religious leaders.

Bahrain’s King Hamad Al Khalifa Visits China

Lawmakers Push To End Christian Persecution In China As Underground Church Pastors Face Detention

China

Communist China

Persecution

Religious Liberty

WASHINGTON—A group of Republican veterans, reservists, and guardsmen is calling out Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer for putting military readiness and veteran services “at risk” during the ongoing government shutdown.
In a <a href="https://x.com/RepublicanStudy/status/1978620000886763717">letter</a> sent Wednesday, led by Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger (R-Texas) and 26 of his fellow committee members, they urged Schumer and Senate Democrats to pass the House-approved “clean” continuing resolution to fund the government and prevent further damage to national defense.
“By refusing to vote in favor of funding levels you and your caucus previously supported, you have made it clear to the American people that shutting down the government is justified in pursuit of your political ends, regardless of the cost to military readiness and the well-being of servicemembers and veterans,” the letter said.
The letter pointed out that President Donald Trump <a href="https://x.com/PeteHegseth/status/1977066803601031594">stepped in this week</a> and directed the Secretary of War and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to use all available funds to ensure troops were paid on October 15.
“It is unconscionable to wield their paychecks as a political weapon. Commanders are focused on helping their subordinates put food on the table, instead of focusing on defending our nation and getting our soldiers combat-ready,” the letter said.
Currently, 334,900 civilians with the Department of Defense are furloughed, the letter explained, which reportedly halts logistics, maintenance, and base operations.
The shutdown has halted advanced training and “drastically reduced readiness and lethality,” according to the letter, which noted that Reserve and Guard drill weekends could be delayed or even canceled, “directly disrupting unit cohesion and combat preparedness.”
The letter goes on to explain many other ways the military is being impacted — including Veterans Affairs.
“Every military service member and veteran deserves better. We urge you to prioritize our country&#8217;s national security and the needs of our veterans over political aims,&#8221; the letter said. &#8220;Pass a clean CR to ensure military readiness and restore veterans&#8217; benefits. Our servicemembers and veterans have sacrificed for this nation—they deserve your support, not your political games.&#8221;
Speaking to The Daily Wire’s <a href="https://rumble.com/v70cbi2-chairman-pfluger-on-michael-knowles-show-schumer-backs-free-healthcare-for-.html?e9s=src_v1_upp_a">Michael Knowles</a> this week, Pfluger said this fight was personal to him, as a reservist and veteran. Reflecting on his own experience serving on active duty during previous shutdowns, he said they “hurt readiness.&#8221;
“They hurt your ability to focus on the threat, on the missions, because now commanders are having to worry about where their troops, their young enlisted and young officers, how they&#8217;re going to put food on the table and take care of their families,” Pfluger told Knowles.
Pfluger <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/speaker-johnson-says-dems-are-wandering-in-the-wilderness-with-no-leader-and-no-platform?author=Amber+Jo+Cooper&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Speaker+Johnson+Says+Dems+Are+%E2%80%98Wandering+In+The+Wilderness%E2%80%99+With+No+Leader+And+No+Platform">previously</a> pointed to a glaring absence of Democratic leadership, asking, “Where are the veterans who served standing up to say, ‘enough is enough’?”
He pressed further by questioning why Democrats with military backgrounds, or those with family members serving, aren’t stepping forward to say the same.
“Why are we not doing the right thing? It’s because they’re caving and bowing down to this radical side that has shown that they have the aptitude for violence, that has shown that they have a desire for an anarchist mentality, and it’s really dangerous,” Pfluger said.
Pfluger also told Knowles he thinks there’s a possibility Trump “will probably have to save the day and bring people together like he&#8217;s done, and make some sort of deal.”
“But let&#8217;s make one thing clear: the prize for Democrats opening the government is not going to be ACA subsidies. We will negotiate on things like that when we get the government open, but they&#8217;re not going to hold us hostage like this and laugh at the American people &#8230;&#8221; Pfluger added.
Despite the mounting pressure from veterans and Republican lawmakers, the Senate once again <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1978850922907238627">rejected</a> the continuing resolution on Thursday morning, with Democrats once again blocking the measure.
The government shutdown continues, with no indication of a resolution in the near future.

Veterans In Congress Slam Schumer For Putting Military Combat Readiness ‘At Risk’ With Shutdown

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Wednesday <a href="https://x.com/AmberJoCooper/status/1978559530712887604">addressed</a> the ongoing government shutdown, calling Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer a &#8220;loser.&#8221;
&#8220;This is a Democrat Schumer shutdown and he’s trying to do it to get relevance back into the party because he’s a loser,&#8221; Trump said during an Oval Office press conference.
The president added that he has known Schumer &#8220;all his life.&#8221;
&#8220;He’s always been sort of a loser — but an intelligent one. I think he’s losing IQ points with time,” he continued.
Trump said that he hopes not to follow Schumer down this path, but added that, if it did, he’s confident the media would be quick to report it.
As of Wednesday, the government shutdown had entered its 15th day, with no indication of ending any time soon. In the afternoon, the Senate voted again to block the House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government.
The vote was 51-44. The resolution needs 60 votes to pass.
Before the vote on Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said if necessary, they would vote again on Thursday.
There is growing speculation that the shutdown may not end until after the nationwide “No Kings” protests scheduled for this Saturday.
The protest is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-johnson-says-dems-wont-end-shutdown-until-after-no-kings-protest-internal-docs-show-he-may-be-right?author=Amber+Jo+Cooper&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Mike+Johnson+Says+Dems+Won%E2%80%99t+End+Shutdown+Until+After+%E2%80%98No+Kings%E2%80%99+Protest.+Internal+Docs+Show+He+May+Be+Right.">reportedly</a> described as a “peaceful national day of action and mass mobilization in response to the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson told <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1976625782077227332">Fox News</a> that Democrats are holding off until then, and he &#8220;can&#8217;t believe they&#8217;re actually doing this.&#8221;
&#8220;They have a Hate America rally scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall. It&#8217;s all the Pro-Hamas wing, the Antifa people, they&#8217;re all coming out,&#8221; Johnson said. &#8220;It&#8217;s being told to us that they won&#8217;t be able to reopen the government until after that rally because they can&#8217;t face their rabid base.&#8221;

Senators Meet For Their Weekly Policy Luncheons

Trump: Schumer Is A ‘Loser’ Using The Shutdown In A Bid To ‘Get Relevance Back’

Mike Johnson

WASHINGTON—With the government shutdown showing no signs of ending, House Speaker Mike Johnson told The Daily Wire that Democrats are &#8220;wandering in the wilderness,&#8221; without a leader or policy platform.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s the leaders of these radical leftist groups that are leading Chuck Schumer around as if he has a nose ring,&#8221; Johnson said in a Friday interview with Republican lawmakers.
“They don&#8217;t have a platform they can run on. They don’t have a policy that is palatable to the American people. They were roundly refuted, of course, in the last election, and they&#8217;re wandering in the wilderness.&#8221;
“When you don&#8217;t stand for something, you fall for anything,&#8221; Johnson added. &#8220;And that&#8217;s what you&#8217;re seeing right now.&#8221;
Johnson also said he doesn’t believe Democrats have an “identified leader,&#8221; referencing former President Donald Trump’s October 7<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnRQP628zfM" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> press conference</a>, where he claimed the party has “no leader.”
Johnson challenged Democrats to name the leader of their party, stating: “I don’t think they can — they don’t have one.”
The Speaker said he believes that the &#8220;most radical fringe voices in the party&#8221; took over during President Joe Biden’s administration, whom he described as “personally checked out.&#8221;
&#8220;I think they guided and pushed so many of the decisions of that administration, and I think they&#8217;re feeling empowered,&#8221; Johnson said.
While Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer supported a continuing resolution earlier this year in March, Johnson pointed to the Senate New York Democrat&#8217;s recent reversal.
Schumer has been objecting to the House&#8217;s resolution over healthcare provisions, with a proposal<a href="https://www.democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/more-lies-from-johnson-and-gop-leader-schumer-debunks-gop-lies-and-deception-amid-trump-shutdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> he said</a> &#8220;aims to reverse the Republicans’ devastating cuts to Medicaid and extend the [Affordable Care Act] tax credits.”
&#8220;The party tried to descend upon the head of Chuck Schumer in March, when he voted the right way to keep the government open, and he is no longer willing to submit to that pain, and so he&#8217;s going to inflict pain on everybody else,” Johnson said.
Johnson warned that it is “dangerous” for the American people and the country to have “the most radical fringe groups in America guiding policy for one of the two major parties.”
The Daily Wire also spoke with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who made it clear where he thinks Democratic leadership is headed.
&#8220;Mamdani is about to become the leader of the party. I mean, there&#8217;s no doubt, he is speaking for the core of the new far-left base of the Democrat party,&#8221; Scalise said.
Scalise was referencing Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist and frontrunner in the New York City mayoral race who has<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mamdanis-campaign-caught-in-foreign-donation-scandal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> reportedly</a> faced criticism over nearly $13,000 in foreign contributions that may breach campaign finance laws.
Scalise went on to say that the power center of the party has shifted firmly to the socialist Left.
“They&#8217;re either endorsing him or quietly meeting with him, but there is not a single prominent Democrat who&#8217;s denounced the vile things he said about Israel, about [the] October 7 attacks from Hamas two years ago, any of that because they&#8217;re scared to death of him, because he&#8217;s about to be the leader of their party.&#8221;
Johnson pointed out that while some say this is great news for Republicans because they now have a &#8220;foil,&#8221; it’s still “terribly dangerous for the future of our country to have a rise of actual open Marxists now being elected to office.&#8221; Johnson also stressed that it’s “something that we’ve got to confront head on.”
Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger also pointed to a glaring absence of Democratic leadership, asking, “Where are the veterans who served standing up to say, ‘enough is enough’?”
He pressed further by questioning why Democrats with military backgrounds, or those with family members serving, aren’t stepping forward to say the same.
&#8220;Why are we not doing the right thing? It&#8217;s because they&#8217;re caving and bowing down to this radical side that has shown that they have the aptitude for violence, that has shown that they have a desire for an anarchist mentality, and it&#8217;s really dangerous,&#8221; Pfluger said.
Pfluger argued that Democrats have made a critical miscalculation regarding President Trump.
&#8220;What a contrast between what they&#8217;re doing, which is obstructing any and all prosperity and security measures that the United States can take, and here&#8217;s President Trump, who&#8217;s jumping in, and he&#8217;s closing a major and historic peace deal in the Middle East, bringing together so many different countries and solving an issue that nobody else can solve,&#8221; Pfluger said.
Despite ongoing obstruction from the “radical Left,” Pfluger said the president is relentlessly pushing forward.
He believes Democrats “miscalculated” the government shutdown because Trump “just keeps on going,” making progress on the agenda “that the American people so desperately elected him to do.”
Scalise said Republicans will continue to work to “get the facts out — whether the mainstream media covers it or not.”
“We&#8217;re going to keep fighting and glad President Trump is continuing to do his job, despite the Democrats trying every day to block everything he does,” Scalise said.
Another vote for the Senate to pass the House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government is expected to take place Tuesday evening, around 5:30 p.m.

Mike Johnson 9/10/25

Speaker Johnson Says Dems Are ‘Wandering In The Wilderness’ With No Leader And No Platform

Steve Scalise

WASHINGTON—House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has suggested Democrats may be waiting to cave and reopen the government until after this weekend’s “No Kings” protest. Internal rally documents reviewed by The Daily Wire indicate he’s on to something.
On Saturday, demonstrators across the country will gather in what organizers <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eHp09wD0EwOecqdhpsI4DB3I5uRQi4-hkx98OyN5djE/edit?tab=t.0">describe</a> as a “peaceful national day of action and mass mobilization in response to the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration.” That includes a major event outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
Johnson suggested on <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1976625782077227332">Fox News</a> last weekend that Democrats were holding out for the protest in order to capitalize on anti-Trump sentiment. Some could argue that Johnson’s theory sounds like a conspiracy, but documents obtained by The Daily Wire reveal the group is encouraging hosts to “lock in” speakers such as “laid-off federal workers, like National Parks rangers or veterans.”
The “<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eHp09wD0EwOecqdhpsI4DB3I5uRQi4-hkx98OyN5djE/edit?tab=t.0">NO KINGS Oct 18 Toolkit for Hosts”</a> document instructs event hosts to secure “compelling speakers to anchor the agenda” and to “aim to lock in 2-4 speakers who can talk authentically about the crisis we face.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-985069" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-11.07-AM-300x93.jpeg" alt="" width="319" height="99" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-11.07-AM-300x93.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-11.07-AM-1024x319.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-11.07-AM-768x239.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-11.07-AM.jpeg 1446w" sizes=" (max-width: 319px) 100vw, 319px" /></div>
They also encourage hosts to get speakers who “rely on Medicaid or other threatened services.”
Another sign that organizers expect to focus messaging on the shutdown is found in their “<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sRkfByipCtbFdOWu0RUMSuwjdCd_cd_SeLndHT7kpnA/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.wyigy4qhxwdo">NO KINGS Oct 18 Speaker Guidance</a>” document, which lists “Shutdown” under “Issues and Topics.”
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-985193 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-12.55-PM.jpeg" alt="" width="1732" height="1412" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-12.55-PM.jpeg 1732w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-12.55-PM-300x245.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-12.55-PM-707x576.jpeg 707w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-12.55-PM-768x626.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-12.55-PM-1536x1252.jpeg 1536w" sizes=" (max-width: 1732px) 100vw, 1732px" /></div>
“President Trump and his political allies hold a trifecta in D.C. This shutdown is on them. Time and time again, this president shows us that the only thing he wants is absolute power. Shutting down our government because you don’t get your way isn’t leadership — it’s a temper tantrum,” the guidance document said.
The No Kings documents make clear that there is no grassroots movement. Included in the group’s online asset package are <a href="https://brandfolder.com/indivisibleproject/nokings">flyers</a>, rally signs, printed materials to <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eHp09wD0EwOecqdhpsI4DB3I5uRQi4-hkx98OyN5djE/edit?tab=t.0">distribute</a>, a comprehensive 10-page “Song and Chant” <a href="https://kairoscenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/No-Kings-June-2025_Songs-and-Chant-Sheet.pdf">document</a>, safety planning <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6810f35a92c2904fa082829a/t/68caf3afc0724a7700668381/1758131119828/250917_no-kings-safety-worksheet.pdf">instructions</a>, and various other event resources.
The group has already held multiple <a href="https://www.nokings.org/trainings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trainings</a> and is planning another session for Tuesday, October 14, aimed at messaging and “how to talk about your local No Kings movement, both to reporters and on your social media channels.”
A mobilization <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/HJewRRfp4K4">call</a> was held on September 18 — just weeks before the government shutdown on October 1.
Organizers said in a prep email that “thousands” of events are planned across the country — according to a promotional materials <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n3dQn_6w-Zm4ENZiqk8W3VWUf8qz1NnnWWX9fOIyBC0/edit?tab=t.0">document</a> — and the interactive map published shows just how widespread the effort is.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-985203 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-2.27-PM.jpeg" alt="" width="2142" height="834" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-2.27-PM.jpeg 2142w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-2.27-PM-300x117.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-2.27-PM-1024x399.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-2.27-PM-768x299.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-2.27-PM-1536x598.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/Image-10-13-25-at-2.27-PM-2048x797.jpeg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 2142px) 100vw, 2142px" /></div>
A “safety planning <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6810f35a92c2904fa082829a/t/68caf3afc0724a7700668381/1758131119828/250917_no-kings-safety-worksheet.pdf">worksheet</a>” reveals sign-ups for volunteers to assist with “medical support,” “press support,” and even “jail support.”
Although a core principle of the group is “a commitment to nonviolent action and no civil disobedience,” organizers are already planning and advising in case of potential arrests.
“In the event of arrests, track arrested individuals and coordinate legal assistance. Reach out to the local chapter of the National Lawyers Guild for support or the names of local lawyers willing to offer services (pro bono and other),” the document says.
The group also posted a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fka4dek_YW8">video</a> on October 7 with “tips” for attendees — including instructions to use encrypted apps, such as Signal.
They are encouraging participants to bring American flags to “reclaim this symbol” and “remind the world that the freedom we stand for is freedom for all.”
This is not the first “No Kings” rally; the group had a similar rally back in June, which brought large crowds to major cities, the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/14/us/protests-cities-no-kings.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
President Donald Trump was asked about the protest in a <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1933204179742568795">clip</a> shared by the White House.
“I don’t feel like a King — I have to go through hell to get stuff approved,” the president joked. “No, no, we’re not a King. We’re not a King at all,” Trump said.
Organizers said on their <a href="https://www.nokings.org/#map">website</a> that millions of people are expected to turn out for the protests this weekend.

TOPSHOT-US-POLITICS-DEMONSTRATION

Mike Johnson Says Dems Won’t End Shutdown Until After ‘No Kings’ Protest. Internal Docs Show He May Be Right.

WASHINGTON—Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought confirmed Friday on <a href="https://x.com/russvought/status/1976686105199268177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X</a> that his team has begun terminating federal employees as the government shutdown rounds out its second week.
“The RIFs have begun,” Vought said, referencing “reductions in force,” the technical term for federal government layoffs. Daily Wire’s White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan <a href="https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1976699856648540196" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> the reductions are “substantial.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reacted to the news on <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/1976727561079341424" target="_blank" rel="noopener">X,</a> accusing the Trump administration of sowing “deliberate chaos.”
“Russell Vought just fired thousands of Americans with a tweet. Let’s be blunt: Nobody&#8217;s forcing Trump and Vought to do this,” Schumer wrote. “They don’t have to do it. They want to. They&#8217;re callously choosing to hurt people — the workers who protect our country, inspect our food, respond when disasters strike,” he continued.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced his intention to use a potential government shutdown to continue his administration’s efforts to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. Speaking to reporters this week, Trump said that “Because of the shutdown,” his team would be “able to take out billions and billions of dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse,” saying that Democrats “made a big mistake” by keeping the government closed.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) on Friday told reporters the White House has for 10 days “laid off doing anything in hopes that enough Senate Democrats would come to their senses and do the right thing and fund the government.”
But after another failed Senate vote Thursday night, Thune signaled the administration would take action.
“That’s what a shutdown does. You put the administration and this presidency in a position where they’re gonna have to make some hard decisions,” Thune said.
Now that federal employees are going to start to miss paychecks, “this gets real,” he said.
“I just think that the White House, my expectation is, yes, they’re going to start making some decisions about how to move money around, which agencies and departments are going to be impacted, which programs are going to be impacted, which employees are going to be impacted,” Thune said.
Not all Republicans are united behind the White House’s RIF effort.
“I strongly oppose OMB Director Russ Vought’s attempt to permanently lay off federal workers who have been furloughed due to a completely unnecessary government shutdown caused by Senator Schumer,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said Friday.
“Regardless of whether federal employees have been working without pay or have been furloughed, their work is incredibly important to serving the public.”
Collins said, “Arbitrary layoffs result in a lack of sufficient personnel needed to conduct the mission of the agency and to deliver essential programs, and cause harm to families in Maine and throughout our country.”
The American Federation of Government Employees — a union that represents more than 800,000 workers in the federal government and the District of Columbia — is suing to block the Trump administration from “illegally” firing thousands of federal employees.
“Federal workers are tired of being used as pawns for the political and personal gains of the elected and unelected leaders,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said. “It’s time for Congress to do their jobs and negotiate an end to this shutdown immediately.”

Russell Vought

‘The RIFs Have Begun’: OMB Director Confirms Federal Layoffs Amid Shutdown Stalemate

layoffs

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

Russ Vought

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