Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) told Axios on Wednesday that he is "actively considering" forcing a vote to expel Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) from Congress.
Why it matters: The House has struggled this year to curb the use of tools like expulsion, censure and impeachment by renegade members as a cudgel against their political adversaries.
President Trump's Truth Social announcement of a blockade around Venezuela has left international law experts scrambling to assess how it would be implemented and if it constitutes an act of war.
The big picture: A traditional naval blockade involves military forces cutting off access to a coast, a move recognized under international law as an act of war.
House Democrats responded with swift fury on Thursday after the Kennedy Center board purportedly voted unanimously to rename the performing arts center to the "Trump-Kennedy Center."
Why it matters: Democrats argue the name change can't be done without an act of Congress, and they're vowing to fight back in any way they can.
The Kennedy Center's decision to add President Trump's name to the performing arts center is only the latest instance of the president stamping his name and likeness across government initiatives.
The big picture: Trump, more than any prior president, has made himself the focus of his administration, branding government buildings and programs the same way he did his business empire and campaign merch.
President Trump's executive order to reclassify marijuana into a Schedule III drug is only the beginning.
The big picture: Reclassification is a lengthy process that would change how marijuana can be obtained for medical uses and open the door for more cannabis research. It wouldn't legalize the drug directly.
The House on Thursday passed a bill that would streamline and speed up agencies' environmental reviews for energy and other projects — but it faces major changes in the Senate.
Why it matters: Overhauling the process for green-lighting industry projects is of paramount importance for many business groups.
President Trump said Thursday he'll sign an executive order to relax federal restrictions on cannabis, instructing agencies to reclassify it as a less dangerous drug.
The big picture: Democrats and advocates have long pushed for the change. But the Wall Street Journal reported in August that Trump, courted by marijuana lobbyists and check-writing executives, was considering finishing what his opponents started.
House Oversight Democrats released a new batch of photos of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his former associates on Thursday, with photos referencing "Lolita," a novel about the sexual exploitation of a young girl.
Why it matters: The new photo drop comes just a day before the public is expected to get the Justice Department's full archive of Epstein documents, which could reignite questions about President Trump'sformer connections to the disgraced financier.
A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Trump administration to reverse hundreds of layoffs enacted during the government shutdown earlier this year.
Why it matters: It's another setback for the administration, which has been repeatedlyblocked in its efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
The Consumer Price Index cooled in November, signaling easing inflation, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Thursday.
Why it matters: The first inflation report since the government reopening shows easing price hikes as the White House faces growing pressure to address affordability concerns.
Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Ronald Hicks as New York's new archbishop to replace Cardinal Timothy Dolan, a friend to President Trump in a Catholic Church that has grown increasingly critical of the president.
Why it matters: Hicks' selection marks a decisive shift away from Dolan's culture-war conservatismfor an archdiocese that serves some 2.5 million Catholics.
Washingtonians, it's time to consider a new sleep routine.
The big picture: Compared to the rest of the country, Oura users in D.C. had the lowest average sleep score, per data the smart ring company shared with Axios.
International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol wants to move Africa's need for clean cooking fuels and tech higher on the global agenda — and sees the U.S. as a fruitful partner.
Why it matters: Widespread use of fuels like wood, charcoal and dung — and open fires or inadequate stoves — is a massive health and economic problem.
The House GOP's long-simmering internal tensions burst open Wednesday as Speaker Mike Johnson faced the prospect of temporarily ceding control of the floor at the start of next year.
Why it matters: GOP frustration with Johnson (R-La.) isn't new. But infuriated House Republicans are also taking out their anger on each other.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to visit Miami this weekend for talks with White House envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner on the U.S. plan to end the war in Ukraine, a White House official and a source with knowledge said.
Why it matters:Trump's advisers are expected to inform Putin's envoy of progress made in talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials and try to get Russia's government to agree to the updated proposal on ending the war.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries adhered to a single principle to outflank Speaker Mike Johnson on extending the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits:
Don't give an inch to Republican moderates looking for an escape hatch.
Why it matters: Jeffries got everything he wanted. Democrats will get a House vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies without any income caps or cost offsets.
One senior House Dem told us of leadership's thinking: "We're going to have to negotiate with the Senate, but you don't start from a place of weakness."
Between the lines: Jeffries was pressed by several of his centrist members to throw his support behind discharge petitions introduced by Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), senior Democrats said.
The prospect of a forced House vote has given new life to bipartisan Senate negotiations on the soon-to-expire health care subsidies for millions of Americans.
"I think it keeps the conversation live," Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio), who has been involved in bipartisan talks, told us.
Why it matters: The Senate has already rejected the language in the House discharge petition. But some key senators are holding out hope for a last-gasp, bipartisan effort to revive the subsidies early next year.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters a House-passed bill would create "a revenue vehicle that we could use for something if there ever is a deal that emerges."
Sen. Ted Cruz(R-Texas) hinted all week that he was willing to play hardball to get a vote on his aircraft safety bill.
Why it matters: In the end, he passed it without even a vote, via unanimous consent. For a bill that was in search of a legislative vehicle for several weeks, it was a remarkable turnaround.
Cruz, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, also included language that would strike Section 373, the controversial provision we told you about earlier this week that the House attached to the National Defense Authorization Act.
ROTOR – and language to strike Section 373 – now goes to the House as the country approaches the first anniversary of the fatal Jan. 29, 2025 collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight above the capital.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries adhered to a single principle to defeat Speaker Mike Johnson on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits: Don't give an inch to Republican moderates looking for an escape hatch.
Why it matters: It worked. By following that simple strategy, Jeffries got everything he wanted: A House vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies without income caps or cost offsets.
The White House said the U.S. would be "lucky" to have President Trump remain in office for a longer period, after lawyer Alan Dershowitz told the Wall Street Journal he shared a draft of his new book exploring the possibility of a third presidential term.
The big picture: Trump and his administration have repeatedly teased a 2028 run, despite the 22nd Amendment barring presidents from being elected to a third term.
