Senators are growing increasingly pessimistic that they will be able to pass an emergency national security spending package before their scheduled departure for the holidays next week.
Why it matters: The legislation as presently written includes more than $100 billion for Israel, Taiwan, Ukraine and border security, which many lawmakers view as critical funding targets.
Driving the news: The high court questioned whether Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits those who engage in insurrection from holding office, covers the presidency and whether the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol rose to that level.
The White House on Wednesday announced $4.8 billion in student debt relief for some 80,300 people.
State of play: That brings the total approved student debt cancellation by the Biden administration to $132 billion for more than 3.6 million Americans.
Tonight's GOP presidential debate will test whether Nikki Haley can build on the momentum she's built in the first three debates, which helped her rise from the pack to challenge Ron DeSantis as the leading alternative to frontrunner Donald Trump.
Why it matters: The former UN ambassador's rise in the polls has come as she has tried to thread a needle regarding Trump — praising the 2016 version of the former president, but now casting him as a reckless promoter of "chaos, vendettas and drama."
Six people were indicted by a Nevada grand jury Wednesday for pretending to be presidential electors in an alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 election, the state's attorney general announced.
Driving the news: The felony charges include offering a false instrument for filing and uttering a forged instrument, per the indictment.
President Biden called on Congress to pass a measure to approve continued aid to Ukraine on Wednesday, days after the White House warned that funding would run out by the end of the year.
The big picture: Additional aid for Ukraine is tied up by demands from some Republicans to tighten U.S. asylum and parole laws for migrants.
House Republicans are already raising concerns about what the early exit of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will mean for their tenuous ability to control their narrow majority.
Why it matters: Some lawmakers are particularly fearful that the closer margins will further empower a handful of members to hijack bills for leverage – a common practice this Congress.
Megyn Kelly will make her return to televised presidential debates on Wednesday night to help co-host the fourth Republican debate on NewsNation.
The big picture: A longtime Fox News anchor, Kelly made waves in 2015 when she famously clashed with Trump during a presidential debate. She eventually left the network for NBC News before venturing into podcast and radio work.
President Biden isn't sure he would be running for re-election in 2024 if former President Trump wasn't also in the race — but he says that other Democrats could beat Trump too.
Why it matters: Biden has repeatedly presented the 2024 election in stark terms, warning that "democracy is at stake" if Trump wins.
A pair of House GOP committee chairmen on Wednesday threatened to initiate contempt of Congress proceedings if Hunter Biden does not agree to give a closed-door deposition next week.
Why it matters: It's the second time that House Republicans have rebuffed Biden's offer to testify publicly in front of the committee that is leading the impeachment inquiry into President Biden.
The Department of Justice has filed war crime charges against four Russia-affiliated military personnel, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: The charges are the first ever filed under the U.S. war crimes statute and an "important step toward accountability" for Russia's war in Ukraine, Garland said.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) announced Wednesday he will step down from Congress at the end of the year, leaving the House GOP with an even slimmer majority until a special election to fill his seat can be held.
Why it matters: McCarthy's exit comes in the wake of a group of conservative hardliners successfully ousted him from his leadership position in a historic vote in October, placing the California Republican in an awkward position within his conference.
The College Board updated its APAfrican American studies curriculum, removing the Black queer experience and making instruction on the Black Lives Matter movement optional.
Why it matters: The nonprofit behind the course removed facets that were criticized by Florida's Department of Education — a choice that drew national attention.
Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julían Castro announced on Wednesday that he is taking the helm of a California foundation focused on empowering Latinos.
Why it matters: Castro, who served as the youngest member of former President Obama's Cabinet, says he plans to give the Latino Community Foundation a national footprint and aims to improve civic engagement and economic well-being for Latinos all over the U.S.
All crew members aboard the U.S. military Osprey aircraft that crashed off the coast of Japan last week have died, the Air Force said Tuesday.
Driving the news: The aircraft was carrying eight passengers when it crashed near Japan's southern Yakushima island, in what was the latest in a series of fatal incidents in recent years involving the Osprey.
Building Back Together — the dark money group tasked by the White House to tout President Biden's agenda — stalled out last year, raising and spending a fraction of the amount it did in 2021, according to tax filings.
Why it matters: Biden often complains that voters don't appreciate or understand his legislative accomplishments. Heading into 2024, his team has been shifting that task to his campaign, outside super PACs and the DNC rather than BBT.
Fox News' Sean Hannity asked former President Trump to promise to the American people during a town hall event on Tuesday night that he would not abuse his power if he is elected president.
Driving the news: The comments during the town hall in Davenport, Iowa, come as multiplemediaoutlets have published stories in recent days warning of a "Trump dictatorship" if he is elected a second term.
President Biden on Tuesday had strong words of condemnation for Hamas' treatment of women hostages and on the terror group's refusal to release them.
The big picture: Negotiations over extending a ceasefire collapsed Friday, after Hamas refused to free 10 Israeli women and offered instead to discuss releasing elderly men.
House Republican hardliners are starting to crank up the pressure on their hand-picked Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), warning that anything less than an aggressive push to the right means caving to Democrats.
Why it matters: Hopes that Johnson's election would calm the underlying tensions that triggered former Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) ouster are quickly dissipating.
