It’s Monday. Happy President’s Day! In this edition: - Trump administration fires hundreds at the FAA.
- Is Elon Musk a liability for Republicans? Some think so.
- Senate eyes vote-a-rama.
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“SNL” 50th anniversary special highlights
I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send tips & feedback to cmartel@thehill.com. Someone forward this to you? Sign up. |
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The face of the operation: |
The Hill’s Alexander Bolton reports that Capitol Hill Republicans are divided over tech billionaire Elon Musk being the face of President Trump’s major purge of the federal government.
What they’re concerned about: “Several GOP senators worry that having an unelected billionaire crow about slashing federal jobs, which happen to employ many people in their home states, is not a good look when inflation remains a major problem and many Americans are having trouble making ends meet.” One GOP senator told Bolton (but didn’t want to be named): “Every day that [Musk is] there, he seems more destructive.”
Read more on the Republican discomfort: ‘GOP lawmakers divided on Musk, seen by some as a liability’ |
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The Wall Street Journal: Trump Voters Splinter Over His Rapid Shake-Up of Washington
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The Washington Post: Musk’s DOGE seeks access to personal taxpayer data, raising alarm at IRS
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The Hill: Senate Democrats split over how to combat Trump’s USAID shutdown
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The Atlantic: The Death of Government Expertise: Why Trump and Musk are on a firing spree
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➤ OH, IS THAT HOW IT WORKS?: |
Trump suggested over the weekend that he has legal leeway to implement his changes because he is “saving” the country. Keep in mind that phrase is attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, who declared himself French emperor in the early 1800s. This post obviously drew criticism from Democrats.
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But aren’t there shortages?: |
The Trump administration has begun firing hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees.
Which employees were let go?: Probationary workers were notified Friday night. Employees were fired “without cause nor based on performance or conduct,” according to the president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union.
Timing: This is just weeks after a helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight outside Reagan Washington National Airport, putting a major spotlight on the FAA. Following the deadly collision, there were reports of nationwide staffing shortages of air traffic controllers.
Reaction from former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg: “The flying public needs answers. How many FAA personnel were just fired? What positions? And why?” Buttigieg posted on the social platform X. |
Some pressing questions for RFK Jr.:
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the newly confirmed Health and Human Services secretary, was one of Trump’s most controversial nominees. He’s often pushed back on federal health authorities, has a history of anti-vaccine beliefs and his Make America Healthy Again movement exists to undermine the federal government’s public health messaging and upend standard practice in the food and drug industries. Kennedy was confirmed last week mostly along party lines. Fresh on the job, there are five pressing questions he’ll have to face: -
Will he disrupt the food and pharmaceutical industries?
- Will Kennedy follow through on firing hundreds at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration?
- How will he handle the booming weight loss drug industry?
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Will he make it harder to access abortion medication?
- Will Kennedy seek to get rid of fluoride in water systems?
Context for each from The Hill’s Nathaniel Weixel |
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‘Vote-a-rama’ will never sound like a serious legislative move to me: |
The Senate may try to push President Trump’s agenda through the chamber this week with a legislative maneuver called a vote-a-rama.
What is a vote-a-rama, and when could it happen?: It’s an hours-long voting session with an unlimited number of amendments offered — it can drag on for a long time. While it has not been confirmed, the Senate’s schedule shows that “additional votes are possible” Tuesday evening. Where Trump’s agenda stands: The House and Senate are still in a race to pass Trump’s agenda using their own separate strategies. (Reminder: The House wants to pass it all together, and the Senate wants to split it up into two bills.)
Both chambers have advanced their budget strategies out of committee, but the House is out this week, so the Senate has an advantage in the race. Plus, the House plan is in jeopardy because some moderates have concerns over likely cuts to Medicaid.
Read more on how this week could play out, via The Hill’s Mychael Schnell Related: ‘Republicans hope to jam through defense, border funding boost ahead of shutdown fight’ |
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The New York Times: Republicans Want Lower Taxes. The Hard Part Is Choosing What to Cut.
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Time: We May Be a Month Away From Republicans Shutting Down a Government They Control
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The Atlantic: Why Isn’t Congress Doing Anything?
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An absurd amount of talent in one room: |
NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” celebrated its 50th anniversary Sunday evening with a three-hour special featuring nearly every celebrity who has ever been on the show. The highlights: -
They recreated the “Domingo” skit with singer Sabrina Carpenter. 📹 Watch
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And they brought back Debbie Downer. 📹 Watch
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Actor Steve Martin had a great monologue. 📹 Watch
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Actor Adam Sandler performed a song on a guitar. 📹 Watch
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Actors Tina Fey and Amy Poehler take questions from celebrities in the audience, including Jon Hamm, Jason Momoa, Cher and Peyton Manning. 📹 Watch
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Poehler posted a TikTok comparing the celebrities’ then and now photos. 📹 Watch
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Paul McCartney closed out the special by performing songs from The Beatles. 📹 Watch
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Throwback: Jimmy Fallon posted a clip of his original SNL audition in 1998. 📹 Watch
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Which former cast mates *weren’t* there? Dan Aykroyd and Bill Hader were notably missing.
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| 🥬 Celebrate: Today is National Cabbage Day. I mean … sure.
🍫 I so badly want to try this: Have you heard of Dubai chocolate? It’s a milk chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream and kataifi to make it crunchy. It’s been all over TikTok over the past several months. The New York Times explained the craze, “How Dubai Chocolate Took Over the World.” By the way, Costco is now selling a version of it.
💸 How to file your taxes for free: NewsNation published a guide of how to file your taxes. If you make less than $84,000, it’s free. |
The House and Senate are out. President Trump is at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. |
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