Today’s edition of quick hits.
* Finally: “The House on Thursday voted by voice vote to end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, after a record 2 1/2-month lapse in funding. The bill heads to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature before the shutdown is officially over.”
* Hints of diplomacy: “Two Pakistani officials with direct knowledge of the talks between the U.S. and Iran told MS NOW they expect a revised Iranian proposal to end the war by the end of the week. The officials said they would push for an in-person meeting between the two sides early next week.”
* On the Hill: “Senate Republicans once again voted against a measure curb Trump’s war powers, marking the sixth failed attempt to do so. The 47-50 vote largely fell along party lines, with Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., joining Republicans in opposition and GOP Sens. Rand Paul and Susan Collins siding with Democrats. It was the first time another Republican joined Paul in trying to rein in Trump’s war with Iran.”
* A commonsense reform that goes into effect immediately: “Senators voted unanimously on Thursday to ban themselves from trading on prediction market platforms amid growing concerns of insider trading by elected officials on the popular events-based platforms.”
Recommended
* Mark your calendars: “Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said Wednesday that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will testify before the panel on May 29 as part of its sprawling investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.”
* A case worth watching: “The Trump administration on Wednesday sued New Jersey’s governor and attorney general over a state law that bars law enforcement officers, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, from wearing masks while on duty.”
* A familiar affront: “The Trump administration rejected all four women farmers chosen by their peers to represent them in an industry group called the United Soybean Board earlier this year, a rare intervention by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that three of the women suspected was because of their gender.”
* Remember, before 2025, when international students used to clamor to attend American colleges and universities? Things are different now: “Applications from the United States to Sciences Po’s bachelor’s program [an elite French university that trains diplomats, journalists and politicians] surged 52 percent this academic year, while the number of Sciences Po students applying to study for a year in the United States has plunged by 50 percent. For the first time ever, America is not the first choice for its undergraduates, who must study abroad during their third year, said Jeremy Perelman, the university’s vice president for international affairs.”
See you tomorrow.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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