Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Congress Releases Short-Term Funding Bill Just Days Before Shutdown Deadline
The 1,547-page text of a short-term funding bill to keep the federal government funded until March 14th was released by Congressional leaders last night. The deadline to avoid at least a partial shutdown of the federal government is Friday night, and with Congress expecting to adjourn for Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s holidays Friday, a vote is expected to come quickly, possibly by tomorrow. The length of the continuing resolution means that President-elect Donald Trump will face a funding deadline within his first 100 days in office. As usual, many weren’t happy with the contents of the CR, with Missouri Republican Rep. Eric Burlison calling the funding plan a “total dumpster fire.” South Carolina Republican Rep. Ralph Norman said he’s frustrated with the bill, and said he’s not voting for it. The House will have to break its rule requiring 72-hours between releasing the text of a bill and voting on it, and the Senate will need unanimous agreement to skip procedure and pass the bill by Friday night.
2 Classified Congressional Briefing Over Drones Brings More Questions
A classified briefing was held on Capitol Hill yesterday for members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence by the FBI, CIA, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on the drone sightings that continue to happen around the country. While the sightings seem to be concentrated in the Northeast, there have been sightings in multiple other states, including Ohio when Wright-Patterson Air Force Base closed its airspace on Friday because of a drone sighting. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul told C-Span that he believes “they’re spy drones. The PRC, communist China, is very good at this stuff. We know they bought land around military bases.” McCaul said that NASA administrator Bill Nelson “said that these drones have been reported “over military sites, military bases.”
3 Luigi Mangione Indicted In Manhattan
Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was officially indicted for murder yesterday in Manhattan. Mangione is charged with one count of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism and two counts of second-degree murder, with one of those two charged as killing as an act of terrorism. Mangione is also facing two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, and one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree. The suspect remains in custody in Pennsylvania, but Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said yesterday that Mangione may waive extradition during his court appearance tomorrow.