Senate shutdown deal stalls over Graham objection

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 4:44 am

The Senate’s race to avert a shutdown hit the skids late Thursday night as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) placed a hold on the government funding package, forcing leaders to punt the vote.  Senators had been hoping to vote on the so-called minibus after leaders struck a deal earlier in the day and President Trump endorsed...

Live updates: Senate punts funding vote as shutdown deadline looms

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 4:16 am

The Senate’s hopes of voting to avert a shutdown hit the skids late Thursday night as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has a hold on the package, putting final passage into question. Graham told reporters the chamber would not be voting, which was later confirmed. He pointed to his hold due to language included that would...

Texas freezes H-1B visas for state agencies, higher education amid investigation into federal program

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 3:13 am

Gov. Greg Abbott announced an investigation into the federal H-1B visa program in "light of recent reports of abuse," according to a letter signed by the governor. He directed all state agencies controlled by a gubernatorially appointed head and public institutions of higher education to freeze all H-1B visa applications until May 2027.

US Embassy puts back Danish flags honoring fallen soldiers after removal outrage

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 2:24 am

The U.S. embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Tuesday removed Danish flags meant to honor the country's troops who fought in Afghanistan, sparking backlash from Danish citizens as well as military veterans from both countries. However, according to Military Times, the flags have been put back in place following the outcry. The embassy's move comes in...

First lady takes center stage at 'Melania' documentary premiere

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 1:36 am

In a first for a first lady, Melania Trump took a starring role at the world premiere of her forthcoming eponymous documentary film.  "I think people will enjoy the movie," the first lady said at the "Melania" premiere on Thursday at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Cameras, she told ITK, filmed her "day and night"...

Trump sues IRS for $10B over leaked tax returns 

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 1:09 am

President Trump sued the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Thursday, seeking at least $10 billion in damages over an agency contractor who leaked his tax return information to news outlets.  Charles Littlejohn, the contractor, is currently serving a five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to a felony. Trump’s civil lawsuit now seeks an 11-figure payout on taxpayers’ dime, pointing to a federal law that enables Americans to seek damages from the federal government for breaches of their sensitive taxpayer...

Bondi announces $1M reward for whistleblower who reported antitrust crime

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 1:03 am

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in a press release Thursday that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the United States Postal Service had given its first-ever reward to a whistleblower under a new policy launched in July. "This enabled us to dismantle a $16 million fraud scheme that was cheating American consumers," Bondi said in...

Democrats knock Trump's pledge to 'drive housing prices up'

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 12:58 am

Democratic lawmakers on Thursday slammed President Trump over comments he made about wanting to "drive housing prices up" for people who own their homes, with one congresswoman telling followers that he "doesn’t care about making your life more affordable." During a Cabinet meeting earlier Thursday, the president said he wants to keep homeowners "wealthy." "We're...

Johnson says no expected action for government funding in the House until Monday

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 12:49 am

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Thursday that the earliest floor action in the House could be Monday, prompting a “short shutdown situation” after the Senate struck a deal to fund a large portion of the government. “But the House is going to do its job. We want to get the government funded, as does the...

Trump threatens tariffs on countries giving Cuba oil

By: The Hill

Published on: January 30, 2026, 12:41 am

President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on countries and groups engaging in business and providing oil to Cuba on Thursday, marking an escalation in U.S. policy toward the communist country.  The countries and groups targeted for potential tariffs by the White House include Russia, China and Iran, along with the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah....

Johnson said he 'hasn't seen any evidence' that Omar staged attack

By: The Hill

Published on: January 29, 2026, 11:53 pm

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Thursday said he hasn’t seen “any evidence” that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) staged an attack on herself at a town hall earlier this week.  “I don't have any evidence to believe that's true. Look, we deal with member security issues that arise. I called her, as I do any...

Key House panel finds 'substantial' evidence in fraud investigation of Florida Democrat 

By: The Hill

Published on: January 29, 2026, 11:36 pm

The House Ethics Committee found “substantial reason to believe” that Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.) violated several laws, regulations and standards of conduct as a member of Congress, according to a report the panel released Thursday. The report said the House Ethics Committee's investigative subcommittee is "bringing the charges" against Cherfilus-McCormick related to campaign finance laws and regulations, criminal...

Trump teases Fed chair announcement

By: The Hill

Published on: January 29, 2026, 11:19 pm

Welcome to The Hill's Business & Economy newsletter {beacon} Business & Economy Business & Economy   The Big Story Trump to announce new Fed chair ‘sometime next week’ “We are going to be announcing the head of the Fed, who that will be,” Trump said at his monthly Cabinet meeting. “It will be a person...

Trump signs executive order on combating substance addiction 

By: The Hill

Published on: January 29, 2026, 11:18 pm

President Trump signed an executive order aimed at combating drug addiction and substance abuse on Thursday, dubbing it “the Great American Recovery Initiative.” The initiative directs federal agencies to use grant funds to support addiction recovery and increase awareness surrounding addiction. The effort will also help agencies consolidate a number of programs including those pertaining...

Tylenol's reputation among Republicans bounces back after Trump's warnings

By: The Hill

Published on: January 29, 2026, 11:16 pm

Tylenol’s brand reputation has bounced back among Republicans after suffering a blow following President Trump’s warning last fall that pregnant women should not take the medication because of a scientifically unproven risk of autism, according to YouGov data. Trump made the remark about acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, during an event last September in...