Washington, D.C

The clock to avoid a government shutdown is ticking in Washington, D.C

Published

2 years ago

December 20, 2024

The clock to avoid a government shutdown is ticking in Washington, D.C

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – With a government shutdown possible and the holidays approaching, people who rely on steady paychecks could be left to make some tough decisions.

“If Republicans do not work with Democrats in a bipartisan way very soon, the government will shut down at midnight.” Democratic Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, on Friday, putting the political ball in the Republicans court.

The goal? Passing a funding bill by the end of the day.

Services like homeland security, transportation, veterans affairs, and the social security administration will shut down as well. That leaves nearly 1.5 million federal employees without money for bills, food, and the holidays.

“They reached a deal but then they released a text to their members and there was a lot of pushback, including pushback from the incoming president.”

Pushback is what sank the deal, according to MSU political science expert Matt Grossmann.

Now, the House and Senate have to reach some kind of agreement, so the government has money to operate and pay its employees in 2025.

“This is seen as the last train leaving the station for the year and so everybody wanted to put additional things on this bill.” Grossmann said, “The Democrats wanted something so the Republicans wanted something and it got longer and longer.”

According Democratic Senator Gary Peters, a bipartisan agreement to keep the government open was already set.

“One thing that our agreed bill did,” Peters said, “Was provide emergency funding to many of the communities that have been hit by natural disasters that we have seen.”

Republican Congressman Mike Johnson, on Thursday, recalling last spring when he said Democrats berated Republicans, saying it’s irresponsible to hold the debt limit hostage:

“It’s very disappointing to us that all but two Democrats voted against aid to farmers and ranchers, against disaster relief, against all these bipartisan measures that had already been negotiated and decided upon again. The only difference in this legislation was that we would push the debt ceiling to January of 2027.”

There are still a few hours left to avoid a government shutdown. The House and Senate have until midnight to reach an agreement.

If not, a lot of federal services will close and workers won’t see a paycheck.

The House is planning to vote soon.

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and YouTube page to receive the latest local news and weather. Looking to hire people, or grow your business through advertising? Gray Digital Media is your one-stop marketing solution. Learn more.

Source link

Click to comment

Washington, D.C

About 120 Iowa National Guard soldiers leave today for D.C. deployment – Radio Iowa

Published

8 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Press Room

Dozens of Iowa National Guard soldiers leaving Iowa today will spend the next six months serving in Washington, D.C..

Last August, President Trump issued an executive order declaring there was an epidemic of crime in the nation’s capitol and he immediately mobilized National Guard troops from the District of Columbia. The Pentagon then started asking state guard units to deploy to D.C. and made a request of Governor Kim Reynolds last year. “They asked earlier and I said no because we had one of the largest deployments that we’ve had for a long, long time and I just felt we were stretched pretty thin,” Reynolds said.

In May of last year, nearly 2000 Iowa National Guard soldiers were deployed to the Middle East. The final group of those soldiers returned to Iowa last month. Reynolds said the Pentagon “circled back” recently and asked her to send a group of Iowa Guard soldiers to D.C. and she’s deployed 120 Iowa Guard soldiers to D.C. “to ensure the safety and security” of people who are in the nation’s capitol, “especially with everything that’s going on with the 250th birthday of our country,” Reynolds said, “and so we were able to participate and do our share.”

Reynolds told reporters the federal government will pay the entire cost of the deployment. Reynolds will speak this morning at a private send off ceremony for the Iowa Guard soldiers before they leave for D.C. There were over 5000 National Guard troops in Washington this past Sunday, including 185 from Nebraska and over 100 from Minnesota.

Source link

Washington, D.C

Why Gov. Kim Reynolds turned down previous request to send National Guard to D.C.

Published

18 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Why Gov. Kim Reynolds turned down previous request to send National Guard to D.C.

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — One hundred and twenty members of the Iowa National Guard are leaving Friday for Washington, D.C., where they will assist with security measures and America 250 celebrations at the request of the Trump administration.

Reynolds initially said no

Gov. Kim Reynolds said she had previously declined the Trump administration’s request, citing the strain of one of the state’s largest recent deployments.

“They asked earlier, and I said no because we had one of the largest deployments that we’ve had for a long, long time and I just felt that we were stretched pretty thin,” Reynolds said.

Nearly 2,000 Iowa National Guard members had spent a year or more deployed to the Middle East. Those soldiers have since returned home.

Guard members now available following Middle East return

With those troops back, Reynolds said Iowa was in a position to fulfill the president’s request.

“We have them all back. They circled back, especially with everything that’s going on with the 250th uh birthday uh of our country. And so we were able to participate and do our share,” Reynolds said.

Different states have sent National Guard members to Washington, D.C., since last August.

Reynolds said the federal government will pay the costs of Iowa’s deployment to Washington, D.C.

Source link

Washington, D.C

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

Published

1 day ago

July 9, 2026

Press Room

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

WASHINGTON – Metro riders are seeing changes Thursday morning as WMATA adjusts its shuttle bus system following concerns about long lines and confusion tied to the Red Line summer shutdown.

Express shuttles to North Bethesda will now only pick up on Wisconsin Avenue near the Trader Joe’s. Local shuttles serving Bethesda, Medical Center and Grosvenor have been moved to the Friendship Heights Metro station, while some regular Metrobus routes are picking up on Western Avenue.

Red Line Shuttle Service Updates

• Local shuttle boarding will be relocated to Bus Bay K – the current C83/D96 bus stop on Wisconsin Ave.
• C83 and D96 buses will be relocated to the bus shelter on Western Ave near Wisconsin Ave.
• Express shuttle boarding will remain in the 5300 block of Wisconsin Ave NW.

What we know:

FOX 5’s Melanie Alnwick says Red Line riders say the shutdown has added time to their commute, though many are trying to stay positive. The shuttles connect North Bethesda and Friendship Heights through September 6, when Purple Line construction is expected to wrap up.

Metro Red Line summer shutdown leads to long shuttle lines

Metro Red Line Summer Shutdown: Changes to shuttle bus service after concerns

The workaround relies on dedicated shuttle bus lanes along northbound and southbound Wisconsin Avenue/355 and up to Rockville Pike. But truck drivers, delivery drivers and passenger vehicles have been stopping or parking in those lanes, forcing shuttles to go around and slowing traffic.

Metro and Montgomery County police have increased enforcement to keep the lanes clear. Metro Transit Police say they asked more than 60 drivers to move out of the bus lanes in the first days of the shutdown.

Metro is also adding about 100 parking spaces at Friendship Heights in the former Lord & Taylor garage. Some Montgomery County riders are opting for the MARC train downtown instead.

Metro’s Red Line shutdown is now in full effect: Here’s what you need to know