House Passes Emergency Bill - Lauren Boebert RUNS to Floor to Vote in Time
House Republicans have passed a blockbuster bill this week, leaving Democrats powerless to stop it from making its way to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature.
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed H.R. 9770, a continuing resolution that will fund the full federal government through December 4, 2026.
The measure passed by a vote of 220-205.
Republicans provided overwhelming support with 213 yes votes against just one no, while six Democrats joined in support and one Independent voted yes.
Four Republicans and two Democrats did not vote.
The single Republican “no” vote came from a fiscal conservative who has consistently opposed short-term funding extensions on principle.
The vote came under the gavel of Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) serving as Speaker Pro Tempore.
Passage clears a key hurdle to prevent a government funding lapse that could disrupt operations across federal agencies.
H.R. 9770 is a clean continuing resolution that extends current funding levels and authorities for federal programs and agencies through December 4.
It maintains operations at the rates and conditions set in prior appropriations, avoiding the need for a full-year spending package at this time while Congress continues its work on longer-term measures.
The bill ensures continuity for critical functions, including national security, law enforcement, veterans’ services, and infrastructure.
By extending funding into early December, it provides stability through the fall and into the holiday period, avoiding the uncertainty of a potential shutdown.
The measure carries particular significance for border security and immigration enforcement.
It prevents Democrats from leveraging a funding gap to restrict resources for the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a tactic observers note was attempted in prior cycles.
With stable funding in place, DHS can proceed without interruption in its core missions, including the ramp-up of interior enforcement and deportations under the Trump administration’s priorities.
Conservatives have long argued that repeated Democratic threats to withhold or condition DHS funding amount to holding border security hostage for unrelated policy demands.
Tuesday’s vote removes that leverage in the near term and keeps resources flowing to agents and officers tasked with enforcing immigration law.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) signaled he will move the measure through the upper chamber expeditiously.
With Republican control of the Senate, Thune is expected to bring H.R. 9770 to the floor quickly, likely with limited debate, and send it to President Trump’s desk for signature in short order.
The rapid timeline reflects GOP leadership’s determination to deliver stable funding and avoid any disruption to ongoing enforcement operations.
This action aligns with the broader Republican strategy of maintaining government functions while advancing America First priorities.
By securing funding without major concessions, House Republicans have protected the operational capacity of agencies responsible for border control and interior enforcement at a time when the administration is accelerating deportations of individuals unlawfully present in the United States.
The handful of Democrats who crossed the aisle represent moderates or members from competitive districts who recognized the practical need to keep essential services running.
The passage of H.R. 9770 underscores a key difference in governing philosophy.
Republicans have prioritized keeping essential services running for the American people while ensuring that procedural brinkmanship does not deprive border enforcement agencies of resources.
With the bill headed to the Senate under Thune’s leadership, the focus now shifts to swift final approval and continued progress on full-year appropriations that further strengthen national security and fiscal discipline.
Stable funding through December allows ICE and DHS to operate at full capacity, supporting the administration’s commitment to large-scale removals and restoring order to the immigration system.
Blanche Confirmed As Attorney General With Fauci Criminal Referral Awaiting
A dramatic overnight vote in Washington has placed one of the most powerful positions in the federal government into new hands.
The outcome was decided by the narrowest of margins, and the official taking control could immediately inherit a politically explosive decision involving one of the most recognizable figures from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Senate confirmed Todd Blanche as attorney general early Saturday in a 50-49 vote, putting him in charge of the Justice Department as a congressional criminal referral involving Dr. Anthony Fauci awaits consideration by federal prosecutors.
The referral followed Fauci’s recent appearance before Senate investigators, where the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 111 times while testifying under subpoena.
A Senate committee subsequently referred Fauci to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution, meaning Blanche’s department will have to determine whether the evidence warrants further investigation or potential charges.
The referral does not establish that Fauci committed a crime, and invoking the Fifth Amendment cannot itself be treated as evidence of guilt.
Republican lawmakers have nevertheless argued that Fauci should face legal consequences stemming from their investigation into the federal government’s response to COVID-19, while Democrats have characterized the inquiry as politically motivated.
Blanche’s confirmation means responsibility for determining how DOJ handles that referral now rests with a department he formally leads after serving as acting attorney general since Pam Bondi’s departure in April.
His confirmation almost failed, with every Senate Democrat voting against him along with Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has been absent from the Senate since mid-June, did not vote, leaving Republicans with virtually no margin for additional defections.
That placed Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in the position of casting the decisive vote after he had remained the final Republican holdout on Blanche’s nomination.
Cassidy acknowledged his reservations about Blanche before announcing that he would nevertheless support his confirmation.
“Mr. Blanche is not perfect, and he will tell you this, but the choice is not between perfection and Mr. Blanche,” Cassidy said.
“It is between Mr. Blanche and another acting Attorney General who may not run the department effectively under President Trump,” Cassidy continued.
Cassidy also emphasized that his vote should not be interpreted as an endorsement of every action taken by President Donald Trump or his administration.
“This is not a referendum on President Trump,” Cassidy said.
“It is a decision regarding Mr. Blanche in very specific circumstances,” he added.
“All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche,” Cassidy concluded. “I’ll be criticized for this vote. What’s new?”
Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., sharply criticized the confirmation, calling the Senate’s decision “a grave mistake.”
Blanche previously served as Trump’s personal defense attorney before entering the administration and ultimately becoming acting attorney general following Bondi’s ouster.
His permanent confirmation now places him at the head of a Justice Department confronting several politically sensitive matters, with congressional Republicans certain to watch closely for what happens with their Fauci referral.
Fauci’s Senate testimony came as lawmakers continue examining pandemic-era government policies, federal funding connected to scientific research and questions surrounding the origins of COVID-19.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who subpoenaed Fauci to testify, has been among the most vocal lawmakers demanding accountability and has questioned whether the pardon Fauci received from former President Joe Biden would protect him from every potential avenue of prosecution.
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Paul also posted a photograph of Fauci sitting alone at the Senate hearing table following his testimony and wrote, “Accountability is coming.”
Any prosecution would require federal investigators and prosecutors to independently determine that sufficient admissible evidence exists to support criminal charges, regardless of what Congress recommended in its referral.
