The House is scheduled to vote next week on a measure slamming President Biden for advocating an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza in a call with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday.
Why it matters: The vote threatens to resurface the stark divisions between the pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian factions of the House Democratic caucus.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a lengthy statement Friday on the Jan. 6 Capitol riot a day after his campaign distanced themselves froma fundraising email describing Jan. 6. defendants as "activists."
Why it matters: Kennedy, who has minimized the severity of Jan. 6, must strike a delicate balance to siphon voters from former President Trump and President Biden ahead of November.
Democratic members of Congress are calling for U.S. or third-party investigation into an Israeli strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen staffers.
Why it matters: The Israeli Defense Force concluded that the attack was a "serious violation" of its rules, but some lawmakers view the internal probe as inherently untrustworthy.
President Biden on Friday reiterated his pledge that the federal government will foot the entire cost of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore while visiting the site of the collapse that killed six construction workers last week.
The big picture: It's the president's first visit to the city since the catastrophic collapse and gavehim the chance to survey recovery efforts at one of the country's busiest ports.
President Biden laid out an ultimatum to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their call on Thursday: If Israel doesn't change course in Gaza, "we won't be able to support you," he said, according to three sources with knowledge of the call.
Why it matters: Biden didn't specify what a loss of U.S. support would entail and he didn't mention the possibility of stopping weapons shipments to Israel, the sources said. But it was the president's toughest call with Netanyahu since the Oct. 7 attacks — both in tone and in substance.
A group of House Democrats on Friday introduced legislation on Friday to rename a federal prison in Miami after former President Trump.
Why it matters: It's a response to a bill proposed by several House Republicans to rename Dulles Airport in D.C. after the ex-president and presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday laid out his must-pass bills and legislative priorities before the November election.
Why it matters: This Congress has been largely confined to adopting bills to keep the government open, but a new letter Schumer sent to lawmakers outlines chances to pass some bipartisan measures.
The UN Human Rights Council on Friday approved a resolution calling on countries to halt the transfer and sale of weapons to Israel.
Why it matters: The resolution, while non-binding, ratchets up international pressure on Israel amid rising concerns over the humanitarian toll of its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Friday said he will "keep pressure on" House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to pass aid to Ukraine when Congress returns to session next week.
The right-wing House Freedom Caucus on Friday released a list of stipulations to support funding for rebuilding the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Why it matters: It creates the potential for yet more internal furor toward House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) if he bypasses the caucus' demands and moves to pass the funding on a bipartisan basis.
Republican lawmakers returning to D.C. next week will be hounded at every turn with reminders of the pressure they face to pass aid for Ukraine, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has signaled that the coming weeks will be a make-or-break period on Ukraine and other foreign aid funding.
President Biden's infrastructure and clean-energy bills are pumping some $250billion into Republican and swing states, allowing Biden and his cabinet to regularly announce job-creating goodies in places that could help him win re-election.
Why it matters: For a president who's trailingDonald Trump in a half-dozen swing states he needs to win, the announcements — part of nearly a half-trillion dollars in projects that have been unveiled nationwide — give him a chance to win voters town-by-town, trip-by-trip.
Engineers are aiming to restore Port of Baltimore access to normal capacityby the end of May following the deadly Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse that forced the rerouting of container ships in the key shipping hub.
State of play: That's according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Baltimore District statement Thursday night that noted first a "limited access channel 280 feet wide and 35 feet deep" to the port would open by the end of April ahead of reopening the permanent, 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep federal navigation channel.
Jeffrey Clark, a former Department of Justice official, likely violated ethics rules over his efforts to help overturn the 2020 election results in favor of former President Trump, a D.C. Bar review found Thursday.
Why it matters: The D.C. Bar's non-binding, preliminary ruling sets off a process that could result in penalties including the disbarment of Clark, who's seen as a potential candidate for a senior administration position if Trump is elected in November for a second term.
Why it matters: GOP lawmakers argued that calls for a ceasefire prior to a hostage release is dangerous rhetoric, with some accusing Biden of turning his back on one of the U.S.'s strongest allies.
CIA director Bill Burns is expected to travel to Cairo this weekend for talks with Mossad's chief and top Qatari and Egyptian officials in an effort to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, two sources with direct knowledge told Axios.
Why it matters: The meeting will take place after President Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a call on Thursday "to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home."
