Washington On One - 9/22/2025

THE LEDE:  Congress still nowhere on funding deal…Admin upends H1-B visa process by adding 100k fee…Kimmel suspension surfaces freedom of speech concerns…MAGA, Trump World honor Charlie Kirk… DOJ quietly removes study showing right wing attacks ‘outpace’ those by left…U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District resigns in the face of Admin pressure over status of investigations over Letitia James and James Comey…TikTok deal reached…Judge throws out Trump suit against New York Times…Trump asks Supreme Court for go-ahead to fire Federal Reserve’s Lisa Cook… Schumer and Jeffries dodge on Mamdani…Trump border czar Tom Homan is denying reports that he accepted a bribe of $50,000 in cash last year in exchange for awarding government contracts…Backlash from some notable figures to former Vice President Kamala Harris’s pending book, set to be released Tuesday…The Trump administration is reportedly set to tie acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, to autism following Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s pledge to find the cause of the condition…CDC vaccine panel votes to change COVID-19 vaccine guidance… US House lawmakers make rare China visit to stabilize ties…United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Portugal formally recognized a Palestinian state on Sunday… Trump on critical TV coverage: 'maybe' licenses should be revoked…Trump approval drops to record low of second term…

NUMBERS:  The Federal Reserve cut interest rates Wednesday for the first time this year as the central bank attempts to ease pressure on the weakening U.S. job market.  The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) — the panel of Fed officials responsible for setting borrowing costs — cut its baseline interest rate to a range between 4 percent and 4.25 percent, a reduction of 0.25 percentage points.

THE WEEK AHEAD:  House and Senate out…United Nations General Assembly in NYC.  Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference…

HEARINGS OF NOTE:  RECESS

APPROPRIATIONS:  A government shutdown looms after the Senate on Friday blocked both a House-passed GOP continuing resolution (CR) and a Democratic alternative. The Republican bill would have extended current funding through Nov. 21, while Democrats proposed a shorter CR that also extended health care premium subsidies expiring this year. Neither came close to the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.  With Congress out for Rosh Hashanah, lawmakers have little time before the Sept. 30 deadline. Both parties are blaming each other: Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) accused Democrats of forcing a shutdown, while Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Republicans would “own” it.  Attention is now on Trump, as Senate leaders from both parties say only a deal he accepts can avert a shutdown. Trump has signaled willingness to meet with Democrats but expressed doubt it will break the stalemate.

NDAA:  Senators on Thursday failed to reach agreement on amendments to the annual defense bill, stalling passage as focus shifts to a looming government shutdown. The latest proposal included Democratic amendments from Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, one blocking Pentagon funds to modify a foreign aircraft for presidential use and another limiting deployment of the National Guard in U.S. cities. Unanimous consent from all 100 senators was required under the expedited hotline process. Senate GOP leaders remain hopeful they can advance the NDAA soon, but if not, negotiators are expected to move directly into House-Senate talks to finalize a compromise by Thanksgiving.

CHALRIE KIRK:  President Trump, Vice President Vance, and leading MAGA figures gathered Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Arizona to honor Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder shot and killed earlier this month while speaking on a Utah campus. Erika Kirk, his widow, pledged to expand the organization and, in an emotional address, forgave her husband’s accused killer, Tyler Robinson, while affirming that justice should be left to the courts. Trump, speaking after her, called for the death penalty, describing Kirk as a “martyr” and “giant of his generation.”  Turning Point reported 90,000 attendees across stadium, overflow, and outdoor spaces under Super Bowl-level security, with speakers shielded by bulletproof glass. Conservative leaders and media figures vowed to carry on Kirk’s legacy, highlighting his Christian faith and campus activism. Tucker Carlson described him as a “Christian evangelist,” while White House official Stephen Miller said Kirk would be “immortalized” through his movement.

PROSECUTORIAL DESCRETION:  Amid reports that the Trump administration is targeting left-leaning figures following Charlie Kirk’s death, U.S. Attorney Erik Siebert resigned Friday under pressure from the president. Siebert, who oversaw the Eastern District of Virginia, had been investigating New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) and former FBI Director James Comey on allegations of mortgage fraud and perjury but reportedly lacked evidence to bring charges. Trump, frustrated by the pace, told reporters, “I want him out.”  On Saturday, Trump named aide Lindsey Halligan as Siebert’s replacement and publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue cases against James, Comey, and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), calling them “guilty as hell.” Democrats condemned the remarks as an abuse of power. Hillary Clinton likened the episode to Nixon tweeting out Watergate, while Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) warned on ABC’s This Week that the country faces “one of the most dangerous” moments in its history.

FCC:  President Trump on Thursday suggested that television networks and late-night shows should risk losing their broadcast licenses if they remain overwhelmingly critical of him. His comments followed ABC’s decision to take Jimmy Kimmel off the air indefinitely after remarks about the killing of Charlie Kirk.  Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump cited “97 percent negative” coverage and said, “Maybe their license should be taken away.” He praised FCC Chair Brendan Carr as a “patriot” who would decide the issue. Trump also argued that licensing should consider the political leanings of evening programming, claiming networks have excluded conservatives for years.  Carr had already hinted at possible FCC action against ABC. Trump’s remarks evoked the long-repealed “fairness doctrine,” which once required balanced coverage. The White House described late-night shows as “arms of the Democrat Party,” while Trump has previously celebrated the cancellations of other critical hosts, including Stephen Colbert.   Sen. Ted Cruz, a Trump ally who oversees the FCC, likened Carr’s tactics to “the Mafia” on his podcast. Sen. Dave McCormick and the Wall Street Journal editorial board echoed Cruz’s concerns, with McCormick posting, “Good riddance to Kimmel…but Ted raises important concerns.”

HOMAN:  Trump border czar Tom Homan denied allegations that he accepted a $50,000 bribe in 2024 to steer government contracts, calling the claims “bulls---” when asked by NewsNation. MSNBC reported that internal documents and multiple sources indicated Homan was recorded taking cash from undercover FBI agents posing as business people, after suggesting he could assist them in securing contracts in a second Trump administration.  According to the report, investigators planned to see if Homan followed through, but the probe stalled once Trump took office and was later closed. In a statement to The Hill, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the matter was “fully reviewed” and found “no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing.”  The White House dismissed the claims as “politically motivated,” stressing that Homan has no role in contract decisions and praising his record as a “lifelong public servant.”

UNGA:  The United Nations General Assembly opens in New York this week amid major developments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Portugal formally recognized a Palestinian state, with France, Malta, and Luxembourg expected to follow. The decisions, largely symbolic, will not immediately alter the conflict or the war between Israel and Hamas, but raise the number of countries granting recognition to more than 150.  The move is especially significant as the U.K. and France join Russia and China in recognition, leaving the United States the only U.N. Security Council permanent member that does not. “To revive the hope of peace and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the state of Palestine,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a video message.  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the recognitions as rewarding Hamas, vowing no Palestinian state will be created. He is scheduled to address the assembly Friday before meeting Trump at the White House.

TIKTOK:  Details are emerging about a potential deal to keep TikTok in the U.S. President Trump said Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a framework allowing the app to remain, though no specifics were released. Trump called the discussion “productive” and said further talks are planned.  TikTok’s future has been uncertain since legislation signed by former President Biden required ByteDance, its Chinese parent company, to divest or face a ban. Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcement through executive orders, most recently extending the deadline to Dec. 16. He has since made saving TikTok a campaign issue, despite earlier warnings about its Chinese ties.  Reports suggest TikTok would spin off into a U.S.-based entity, majority-owned by American investors, with ByteDance’s Chinese shareholders retaining a stake. Trump told Fox News the investor group likely includes Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, Oracle’s Larry Ellison, and Dell CEO Michael Dell. Beijing has been more cautious, saying only that Trump agreed to pursue a “proper deal.”

THAT’S A LONG FLIGHT:  A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation visited Beijing on Sunday, the first official House trip since 2019, urging deeper engagement to “break the ice” in strained U.S.-China relations. The visit followed a call between Presidents Trump and Xi Jinping as both sides seek stability amid tensions over trade, semiconductors, TikTok, Taiwan, and the South China Sea.  Premier Li Qiang welcomed the group, saying the trip would help advance bilateral ties. The delegation, led by Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, emphasized the need for more frequent exchanges after years of stalled dialogue.  In discussions, lawmakers pressed for expanded diplomatic and military communication, cooperation on curbing fentanyl trafficking, nuclear nonproliferation, and creating global rules for artificial intelligence. “Both China and the U.S. have work to do to strengthen the relationship,” Smith said, noting that years without congressional visits were unacceptable.