The Senate was still working as the government remains shut down, passing a massive annual defense spending bill late last week -- primarily led by Senate Republicans.
According to The Hill, the Republican-led Senate approved the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) with a 70-20 vote, easily passing it after GOP senators struck a deal earlier in the day that unlocked the bill from being held up.
The bill, primarily aimed at funding the U.S. military, will provide the armed services $924.7 billion in fiscal 2026, according to the bill's language.
The legislation still has a long way to go before becoming law, as the approving of the bill by Senate Republicans means it will now move to the conference stage with the House and Senate armed services committees, where both sides can argue and negotiate.
Notably, the House version of the NDAA is slightly less top-line money, coming in at $893 billion.
The bill has been held up in the upper chamber, as it takes all 100 U.S. senators to agree to move forward on it. Some were holding out for certain additions.
The Hill noted:
The NDAA had come to the Senate floor in early September but saw little movement until Thursday morning. Action on the bill was stalled, as all 100 senators must agree to hold votes on amendments, with several sticking points causing a handful of lawmakers to halt the process.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) was the Republican senator who secured a deal with the other side to unlock the stalled process, securing "an agreement to vote on 17 stand-alone amendments and a package of nearly 50 less controversial amendments."
"We simply cannot delay this process any longer,” Wicker said on the Senate floor Thursday.
He added, "Let me make it clear: If we do not bring this to the floor today, this matter will not have time for deliberation on the Senate floor, and we’ll have to basically pretend that we’re having a conference between House and Senate members, and a very small group of senators will have to write this bill and bring it to the floor for final passage. That’s not the way this ought to be done."
There was some level of bipartisanship as both sides came together to give the Pentagon additional authorities to counter drone threats.
"Hundreds of drones have been spotted in the vicinity of military installations over the past few years, including military-sensitive sites like Langley Air Force Base," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) said.
She added, "But current laws give the Department of Defense quite limited authority to mitigate these threats, and the patchwork of interagency coordination required to address them leaves gaps that endanger our military bases and the men and women who serve there."
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) worked with Gillibrand on inserting that particular amendment.
A source claims that President Donald Trump allegedly sent a private message intended for Attorney General Pam Bondi as a post to Truth Social, NBC News reported. The Sept. 20 post listed the people Trump wishes to pursue with legal action, including former FBI Director James Comey, California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, and New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Trump's response to the news that he accidentally sent the message as a Truth Social post was to utter an indifferent, "Oh." Those listed in the post purportedly intended for Bondi include those who wronged Trump and went after him with legal action, especially James, who attempted to bankrupt him with a ridiculously punitive judgment.
The president said they were all "guilty as hell" and that he was frustrated that there was no movement to bring them to justice. Regardless of all the handwringing and pearl-clutching from the mainstream media, Trump has a right to urge his attorney general to pursue legitimate criminal activity from these people.
Comey and James have already been indicted, while Schiff is currently under investigation for mortgage fraud. Whether Trump urged Bondi to pursue them or not, the real issue is whether there is enough evidence to go on, and it looks like he might have been right after all.
Regardless of how it is characterized and whether it was supposed to be a private message, Trump does not say anything inappropriate. "Pam: I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that, essentially, 'same old story as last time, all talk, no action. Nothing is being done. What about Comey, Adam 'Shifty' Schiff, Leticia???" Trump wrote.
"They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.' Then we almost put in a Democrat supported U.S. Attorney in Virginia, with a really bad Republican past. A Woke RINO, who was never going to do his job," Trump went on, referring to Erik Siebert, whom Trump fired for failing to pursue James.
"That’s why two of the worst Dem Senators PUSHED him so hard. He even lied to the media and said he quit, and that we had no case. No, I fired him, and there is a GREAT CASE, and many lawyers, and legal pundits, say so," the president explained.
"Lindsey Halligan is a really good lawyer, and likes you, a lot. We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility. They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!! President DJT" Trump concluded.
Trump is correct that he was subject to many fabricated or inflated charges from these same people who had skeletons in their closet all along. James's attorney, Abbey Lowell, claims that her client is subject to Trump's "desire for revenge" in this prosecution while ingnoring the fact that there might be a legitimate reason to pursue legal action.
"When a president can publicly direct charges to be filed against someone — when it was reported that career attorneys concluded none were warranted — it marks a serious attack on the rule of law," Lowell said. That doesn't explain away the allegations that seem well-founded against James, considering that a federal grand jury indicted her on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution on Thursday, Fox News reported.
She can call this a political prosecution, but the fact is that the grand jury thought there was enough evidence to proceed and, as James herself said, it's necessary to do so in such cases. "When powerful people cheat to get better loans, it comes at the expense of hardworking people," James posted to X, formerly Twitter, when she was going after Trump in February 2024.
"Everyday Americans cannot lie to a bank to get a mortgage, and if they did, our government would throw the book at them. There simply cannot be different rules for different people," James said.
Trump is right to go after these people who act like they're above the law. Whether he urged Bondi to do it or was simply making a social media post, the fact remains that these people are getting their just desserts.
First lady Melania Trump said that she has an "open channel of communication" with Russian President Vladimir Putin when it comes to the matter of children displaced by the war between Russia and Ukraine, ABC News reported. The first lady boasted that their joint efforts have already resulted in reuniting eight children with their parents in the last 24 hours alone.
The Putin-obsessed left will no doubt make all sorts of insinuations about Melania Trump's relationship with the foreign leader. However, it appears she and Putin are doing good work in righting some of the wrongs that have come from the war.
"HOLY SMOKES: First Lady Melania Trump just announced that she’s been working behind the scenes with Russian President Vladimir Putin to return displaced children to their homes in Ukraine. Most powerful woman in the world," user Johnny Maga posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday.
🚨 HOLY SMOKES
First Lady Melania Trump just announced that she’s been working behind the scenes with Russian President Vladimir Putin to return displaced children to their homes in Ukraine.
Most powerful woman in the world.pic.twitter.com/U3DfhpHhql
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) October 10, 2025
Relations between Russia and the U.S. have not always been friendly, but this unexpected alliance comes when the world needs it the most. "Russia has demonstrated a willingness to disclose objective and detailed information reflective for the current situation," Trump said.
She went on to note that a "detailed report" outlined the process that led to eight children rejoining their families, thanks to the efforts of Trump and Putin. "This is an important initiative for me," the first lady said.
"It is built on shared purpose and lasting impact," Trump said. "A child's soul knows no borders, no flags," she added.
"We must foster a future for our children which is rich with potential, security, and complete with free will. A world where dreams will be realized rather than faded by war," Trump said.
The first lady was a notoriously tight-lipped figure during her husband, President Donald Trump's, first term and office and has largely remained mum even into his second term. However, this issue has brought Melania into the spotlight since she wrote a letter in August enlisting Putin's help.
According to Politico, Melania Trump raised the issue of displaced children in a letter, which President Donald Trump relayed to Putin during their meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. "A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity—an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology," Melania Trump wrote.
She added that "it is time" for them to get the Ukrainian children back to their homes, and she committed to doing that work. "My ongoing mission is two-fold — to optimize a transparent, free-flow exchange of information surrounding all children who have fallen victim to this war and to facilitate the regular communication of children with their families until each individual returns home," Melania Trump said.
This is all excellent news for the children of Ukraine, but there will no doubt be leftists who see this as more evidence that Melania Trump is a Russian asset, as was asserted in Business Insider in 2018. Some believed that because she speaks several languages and spoke cordially to Putin, she must be an undercover spy.
This insane conspiracy theory was an outgrowth of the other outlandish and since-debunked lie that Donald Trump colluded with the Kremlin to win the 2016 election. It was an obsession of the leftists, and that kind of pathological focus is not easily forgotten.
Melania Trump is doing important work for the children, and her heart is certainly in the right place. While she risks derision for cooperating with the Russian leader, the first lady remains fearless and noble in her pursuit of the cause of these children, and that's all that matters.
The conservative justices on the Supreme Court appear to be poised to deal a fatal blow to the incredibly flawed Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Wednesday in Louisiana v. Callais, and it appears that the court is leaning towards striking down Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which bans "racial gerrymandering when it dilutes minority voting power."
Gerrymandering is a frowned-upon but legal act except in this one specific exception, thanks to the Voting Rights Act. It essentially creates a requirement that certain Congressional districts favor minority voters to "ensure representation."
While the left has framed this court battle as the Supreme Court ending minority representation, this is actually an opportunity for the Supreme Court to end a law that has overtly written racial preferences into American law.
Of course, the GOP has a ton to gain as this case could lead to significant redistricting efforts that could net Republicans over a dozen House seats.
Without Section 2, it's estimated that 30% of the Congressional Black Caucus and 11% of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus's seats could be wiped out.
Of course, the only reason these seats exist is because of an arbitrary and racist requirement that Congressional maps specifically carve out districts that would advantage minority candidates. Racial demographics should never have been a factor in writing district maps.
States like Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi would have a massive GOP shift with Section 2 being struck down.
These overwhelmingly conservative states have Democrat enclaves thanks to Section 2, requiring racial district maps that favor Democrats and preserve their existence in states where they would otherwise be voted out easily.
Predictably, Democrats are in full panic mode and are busy screeching about democracy and about the "corrupt" Supreme Court. Corruption is when a properly installed Supreme Court makes rulings that don't benefit Democrats.
Fair Fight Action CEO Lauren Groh-Warg issued a statement saying, "The only way to stop it is to play offense — aggressively redraw maps wherever possible, focus relentlessly on taking back Congress, and be ready to use that power to pass real pro-democracy legislation and hold this corrupted Court accountable."
The Supreme Court has been on a tear these past few years, taking a sledgehammer to decades-old legal mistakes ranging from 2nd Amendment rights to election laws.
The Supreme Court has been ruled by leftist ideologues who believe the Constitution is a living document and can be adjusted with the times at will. This new regime of conservative justices believes in a more rigid originalist interpretation and is working hard to shore up rights that have been torn down.
The Voting Rights Act was a well-intentioned piece of legislation, but it was deeply flawed, and it's good to see that this Supreme Court may have the courage to finally reform the Voting Rights Act, which has been overtly favoring Democrats for decades.
Hold onto your hats, folks—First Lady Melania Trump just pulled off a diplomatic coup that’s got even the most hardened skeptics taking notice.
In a stunning announcement on Friday, Melania Trump revealed she has secured a groundbreaking agreement with Russia to reunite Ukrainian children displaced by the ongoing war with their families, Daily Caller reported.
This isn’t just talk; it’s action, and fast. Within a mere 24 hours of the deal, eight children have already been brought back to their loved ones. That’s the kind of result-driven leadership conservatives have been craving amidst the chaos of global conflicts.
Let’s rewind a bit to how this all started. Melania Trump penned a letter, delivered through her husband to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in Alaska, sparking the initial dialogue. That personal touch opened a direct line of communication with Putin himself, proving that sometimes old-school diplomacy still works better than progressive posturing.
From there, Melania kept the conversation alive, focusing on the heartbreaking plight of Ukrainian children torn from their families by war. Russia, in a surprising move, agreed to facilitate the return of these young souls. It’s a rare moment of cooperation in a world too often obsessed with division over dialogue.
Now, let’s talk numbers—eight children are already home, and that’s just the beginning. Three of these kids were displaced to Russia due to intense fighting on the frontlines, separated from their parents in the chaos. The other five were scattered across borders, caught in the crossfire of conflict, including one young girl who made the journey back from Ukraine to Russia to reunite with family.
Speaking of that girl, Melania didn’t shy away from the emotional toll of these separations. “Each child has lived in turmoil because of the war in Ukraine,” she said, painting a vivid picture of the human cost.
She went on to detail the specifics: “Three were separated from their parents and displaced to the Russian Federation because of frontline fighting. The other five were separated from family members across borders because of the conflict, including one young girl who has now been reunited from Ukraine to Russia.” It’s hard not to feel a lump in your throat hearing that, even if you’re skeptical of government overreach on either side of the Atlantic.
But Melania didn’t stop at the immediate wins. She also raised the issue of children who were displaced as minors but have since turned 18, ensuring Russia agreed to return these young adults as well. That’s foresight—something sorely lacking in the endless virtue-signaling of the left’s foreign policy playbook.
Looking ahead, Melania made it clear that this is just the start. Plans are already in motion to bring more children back to their families, a commitment that shows a focus on results over rhetoric.
She also emphasized the broader spirit of this agreement. “We have agreed to cooperate with each other for the benefit of all people involved in this war,” Melania Trump said. While some might roll their eyes at such optimism, it’s a refreshing change from the usual finger-pointing that dominates international affairs.
Let’s be real, though—this deal isn’t going to solve every problem in the Ukraine conflict overnight. But it’s a concrete step forward, one that prioritizes the innocent over political gamesmanship. In a world where woke ideology often drowns out common sense, this kind of pragmatic compassion is a breath of fresh air.
For conservatives, this is a moment to celebrate leadership that doesn’t bow to the progressive agenda but still shows heart. Melania Trump’s efforts cut through the noise, focusing on real families rather than empty hashtags or trendy causes. It’s a reminder that strength and empathy aren’t mutually exclusive.
Critics on the left might scoff, claiming this is just a publicity stunt, but let’s see them broker a deal that brings even one child home. Actions speak louder than sanctimonious tweets, and right now, the scoreboard shows eight kids reunited with their loved ones thanks to this agreement. That’s not spin; that’s fact.
So, as plans unfold to reunite more families, let’s keep an eye on this rare bipartisan bright spot. If the U.S. and Russia can work together on something this vital, maybe there’s hope yet for cutting through the ideological fog. For now, Melania Trump has shown that a firm hand and a kind heart can still move mountains—or at least bring children home.
Typically, after a high-profile shooting or assassination, copycats will try to get their 15 minutes of fame by emulating the act, and that's what nearly happened in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination.
According to the Daily Mail, conservative influencer Benny Johnson was a target of a man who wanted to make headlines with another assassination of a high-profile conservative activist.
The bombshell revelation was announced by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi this week during what was described as a "fiery" press conference.
The Department of Justice announced charges against George Isbell Jr., which was a continued effort by the Trump administration to crack down on political violence.
The charges against Isbell are serious, as he reportedly sent a letter to Johnson and his wife threatening to "orphan" their children while also strangling Johnson with an American flag.
BREAKING: An internet TOUGH GUY has just discovered that his THREATS against Benny Johnson are CRIMINAL.
“You are NOT going to get away with threatening people."
FAFO to the keyboard warriors! pic.twitter.com/rGHS72L3cX
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) October 10, 2025
Aside from the late, great Charlie Kirk, few conservative influencers come close or beat Johnson's level of popularity in MAGA circles.
The Daily Mail noted:
Johnson commands a following of over four million on X and is one of the most outspoken conservative commentators on social media known for rubbing shoulders with Donald Trump and other influential MAGA stars.
Bondi held nothing back in her press conference, saying, "This arrest will serve as a reminder, we will find you."
She said the plot to assassinate Johnson was part of an Antifa plan to "wreak havoc on the streets of our cities," while linking the threat to the murder of Kirk last month.
Users across social media reacted to the news of the plot to kill Johnson, and many were thankful that the whackjob leftist was taken off the streets and charged.
"Any and all threats should be treated as criminal," one X user wrote.
Others warned that while threats should be taken seriously, the First Amendment seems to be in rocky territory as far as online speech is concerned.
Another X user wrotem, "I haven't seen the message, so if it contained a direct threat, action was warranted. However, I'm concerned that in this heightened environment, we may fall into the trap of censoring speech. Pam wanted to censor speech before, might use this as an opportunity."
China will always do whatever it takes to infiltrate any level of U.S. government, and its spies are everywhere. One Foreign Service Officer (FSO) was just fired by the Trump administration for having a romantic relationship with the daughter of a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) affiliate.
According to Breitbart, Daniel Choi, a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, was terminated by Sec. of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump after undercover video surfaced that showed him admitting his secret relationship.
James O’Keefe’s undercover journalists caught Choi making the bombshell admission, and the video quickly made its way through the Trump administration and ended with a firing.
The O’Keefe Media Group (OMG) made the video public.
The video was damning, to say the least. In it, Choi admitted the secret romantic relationship and even said, “I defied my government for love."
🇺🇸 Secretary of State Marco Rubio has fired Daniel Choi, a State Department Foreign Service officer who admitted in an undercover video that he had a romantic relationship with a woman linked to the 🇨🇳 CCP.
“Today, after Presidential review and approval, the Secretary of State… https://t.co/vgpxitalNn pic.twitter.com/qWC9UaVyM1
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) October 9, 2025
The U.S. State Department issued a statement on the situation, noting that President Trump signed off on the termination.
“After Presidential review and approval, the Secretary of State has terminated a Foreign Service Officer (FSO) who concealed a romantic relationship with a Chinese national with ties to the Chinese Community Party," the State Department said.
Breitbart noted:
A Department spokesperson told OMG that to their knowledge, this firing marks the first time such an action was taken, citing President Trump’s Executive Order 14211 for making the termination possible.
The outlet added:
Executive Order 14211 states that “All officers or employees charged with implementing the foreign policy of the United States must, under Article II, do so under the direction and authority of the President.”
“Failure to faithfully implement the President’s policy is grounds for professional discipline, including separation,” President Trump’s executive order adds.
Users across social media weighed in on the firing, with many applauding the revelation.
"The Daniel Choi case isn’t an isolated slip-up—it’s a symptom of systemic rot. Look at Linda Sun, Hochul’s aide funneling CCP cash into NY politics, or Elaine Fan’s family legacy of CCP propaganda. These aren’t coincidences," one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote, "This highlights the risk of personal connections in international relations."
Thankfully, this one was noticed and caught. There are probably many more like it.
Hold onto your hats, folks -- North Carolina politics just took a dark turn with the arrest of a sitting Democratic lawmaker on charges that’ll make your stomach churn.
Democrat State Rep. Cecil Brockman, representing Guilford County, was arrested Wednesday on grave accusations involving a minor, charged with two counts each of statutory rape and indecent liberties with a child, as Breitbart reports.
The allegations are as serious as they come, with warrants claiming Brockman engaged in unlawful acts with a 15-year-old in August of this year.
According to court documents, the accusations paint a disturbing picture of behavior unfit for anyone, let alone a public official entrusted with representing a community.
Adding fuel to the fire, the magistrate’s order suggests Brockman misused his position as a representative to try locating the alleged victim at a hospital—a move that raises eyebrows about abuse of power.
Currently, Brockman sits in Guilford County Jail with no bond set, awaiting a court appearance scheduled for Thursday afternoon, as reported by WRAL.
The fallout has been swift, with political leaders from both sides of the aisle demanding that Brockman step down faster than a hot potato dropped at a picnic.
The North Carolina Democratic Party didn’t mince words, stating, “The profound seriousness of these criminal charges makes it impossible for him to effectively represent his community.” Well, that’s one way to say the obvious—when charges like these surface, trust is shattered beyond repair.
Speaker of the House Destin Hall, a Republican from Caldwell County, echoed the sentiment, declaring, “The charges against Rep. Brockman are shocking and extremely serious.” Given what’s public, Hall’s call for immediate resignation isn’t just political posturing -- it’s a rare moment of bipartisan clarity in a polarized world.
North Carolina House Democrat Leader Robert Reives has also joined the chorus, insisting Brockman must resign without delay, citing the mounting allegations as incompatible with public service.
If Brockman does submit a resignation letter to the Speaker of the House, the Guilford County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee would be tasked with picking a replacement to fill the void.
Under state rules, only committee members residing in Brockman’s district would have a say in choosing the successor -- a small but critical detail in how North Carolina handles such vacancies.
Let’s not forget the irony here: in 2023, Brockman had a youth academic center named in his honor, a recognition now tainted by these horrific charges.
For a state already weary of political shenanigans, this scandal is a gut punch to those who believed in public servants as role models, not cautionary tales.
While the court will ultimately decide Brockman’s fate, the damage to public trust is already done, leaving conservatives and moderates alike questioning how such alleged behavior went unnoticed -- and reminding us all that accountability must cut through party lines like a sharp blade.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation honoring Christopher Columbus, the great Italian explorer who brought Western civilization, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to the Americas.
Lauding Columbus as "the original American hero" and a "giant," Trump called for Monday, Oct. 13 to be celebrated as Columbus Day, rejecting years of left-wing attacks on the navigator and his legacy, as the New York Post notes.
“Columbus Day -- we’re back, Italians,” Trump declared after signing the proclamation.
“We love the Italians,” the president added.
While many Americans remember classroom lessons about Columbus "sailing the ocean blue," in recent years, there have been efforts to disparage the bold navigator as one of history's criminals for opening the New World to European settlement with his daring trans-Atlantic voyage in 1492.
Despite his heroic accomplishments, some argue Columbus should be condemned for setting in motion the dispossession of the natives.
Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, was the first U.S. president to acknowledge Indigenous People's Day, a move that many saw as an attempt to sideline Columbus and his memory. But "those days are finally over," Trump said.
"Today our Nation honors the legendary Christopher Columbus -- the original American hero, a giant of Western civilization, and one of the most gallant and visionary men to ever walk the face of the earth," Trump wrote.
The statement went on, "This Columbus Day, we honor his life with reverence and gratitude, and we pledge to reclaim his extraordinary legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue from the left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy his name and dishonor his memory."
Efforts to denigrate Columbus are particularly offensive to Americans of Italian descent, for whom Columbus is a cultural icon.
Columbus Day was initially established as a federal holiday by President FDR, following years of anti-Italian sentiment at the turn of the 20th century. The killing of 11 Italians in New Orleans in 1891 remains the worst mass lynching in American history.
With his order, Trump clarified that Columbus should be celebrated as a hero by all Americans.
“Before our very eyes, left-wing radicals toppled his statues, vandalized his monuments, tarnished his character, and sought to exile him from our public spaces," it said.
The president's statement added, “Under my leadership, those days are finally over -- and our Nation will now abide by a simple truth: Christopher Columbus was a true American hero, and every citizen is eternally indebted to his relentless determination.”
A supermajority of the Senate has passed a nearly $1 trillion spending bill for the military, even as the bitter government shutdown continues with no end in sight.
As reported by The Hill, the Senate voted 70-20 to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), setting aside $924.7 billion for the armed services in fiscal year 2026.
The next step is for the House and Senate armed services committees to negotiate a compromise bill that both chambers of Congress accept.
The NDAA had been in limbo on the Senate floor for nearly a month, but the impasse broke Thursday as lawmakers finally agreed to debate a series of amendments.
"We simply cannot delay this process any longer,” Senate Armed Services chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) said on the Senate floor. “Let me make it clear: If we do not bring this to the floor today, this matter will not have time for deliberation on the Senate floor, and we’ll have to basically pretend that we’re having a conference between House and Senate members, and a very small group of senators will have to write this bill and bring it to the floor for final passage. That’s not the way this ought to be done.”
While the final vote tally was bipartisan, the amendment process reflected some sharp disagreements over the military's role.
Democrat senators used the "vote-a-rama" to target Trump's National Guard deployments to cities run by soft-on-crime Democrats. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who received attention as an advocate for alleged MS-13 gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia earlier this year, issued a proposal to stop Trump from deploying the National Guard without the consent of a state's governor, but the amendment failed.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) proposed an amendment, which was also rejected, to stop a donated Qatari jet from being retrofitted to replace Air Force One.
“Retrofitting this foreign-owned luxury jet to make it fully operational will cost hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. That’s money that shouldn’t be wasted,” Schumer said.
The senators also agreed to repeal the authorizations of force for the 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, approving an amendment from Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA).
A bipartisan amendment to help protect military bases from drones also passed. The amendment was proposed by Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
The troops are facing lost paychecks without a deal to end the government shutdown before Oct. 15. Senate Democrats, led by Schumer, have repeatedly rejected bills to fund the government without Obamacare-related add-ons.
“The executive branch, the president, is working on ways that he may have, as well, to ensure the troops are paid,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) at a press conference.
The White House confirmed Friday that federal layoffs have begun, as the administration tries to pressure Democrats to end the shutdown.