Senate confirms GSA leader, top tech official, raft of DoD nominees

The Senate approved 97 Trump administration appointees before leaving town for the holidays on Thursday, with the confirmed list including top officials at the Defense Department, the General Services Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The vote on Thursday leaves just 15 nominations awaiting confirmation in the Senate heading into 2026. It also brings the total number of confirmed presidential appointees to 417 so far in Trump’s second term. Tech officials confirmed Ethan Klein was confirmed to serve as the fifth U.S. chief technology officer and as associate director…

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All Eyes on Senate Republicans to Vote for Epstein Files Release

WASHINGTON — Following House Republicans finally holding a vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files after months of stalling and House Democrats revealing the Epstein emails last week pointing to Trump’s knowledge of Epstein’s abuses, MoveOn Civic Action spokesperson Britt Jacovich released the following statement: “The American people are sick of the cover ups for the wealthy, the powerful, the well-connected, and the politicians. Senate Republicans, Donald Trump, and the Department of Justice shouldn’t wait a second longer to release the entirety of the Epstein files after months of hiding…

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Tentative Senate deal reaffirms back pay, reverses RIFs for federal employees

The Senate’s initial agreement toward ending the longest-ever government shutdown includes provisions that would secure back pay for all federal employees, as well as reverse the Trump administration’s recent reductions in force. Though much is still up in the air and subject to possible changes, the early steps in the process indicate that, if the Senate bill’s current language is maintained, both excepted and furloughed federal employees would receive back pay dating to Oct. 1, the day the shutdown began. Federal employees, regardless of whether they are furloughed or excepted,…

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MoveOn: Moderate Senate Dems Are Completely Missing the Moment

WASHINGTON – In response to news that some congressional Democrats are signaling their willingness to back away from protecting ACA subsidies to make a deal with Republicans and the Trump administration to end the government shutdown, MoveOn Political Action Executive Director Katie Bethell released the following statement: “Moderate Senate Democrats who are looking for an offramp right now are completely missing the moment if, on the heels of last night’s election landslide, they are entertaining the idea of capitulating to Trump and the Republicans in the fight to protect Americans’ health…

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Republican leaders reject Trump’s demands to scrap the Senate filibuster to end the shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — Back from a week abroad, President Donald Trump threw himself into the shutdown debate, calling on the Senate to scrap the filibuster and reopen the government, an idea swiftly rejected Friday by Republican leaders who have long opposed such a move. Trump pushed his Republican Party to get rid of the Senate rule that requires 60 votes to overcome objections and gives the minority Democrats a check on GOP power. In the chamber that’s currently split, 53-47, Democrats have had enough votes to keep the government closed…

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Senate Democrats, holding out for health care, reject government funding bill for 10th time

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats rejected for the 10th time Thursday a stopgap spending bill that would reopen the government, insisting they won’t back away from demands that Congress take up health care benefits. The vote failed on a 51-45 tally, well short of the 60 needed to advance with the Senate’s filibuster rules. The repetition of votes on the funding bill has become a daily drumbeat in Congress, underscoring how intractable the situation has become. It has been at times the only item on the agenda for the Senate…

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